Winthrop’s Cooper named Big South female athlete of the year

Winthrop track and field athlete Marthaline Cooper was voted the Big South Conference female student-athlete of the year for the 2016-17 season by the league’s athletics directors, senior woman administrators and sports information directors.

Cooper is the first Winthrop student-athlete to win the award since 2013-14. She received 77 points and nine first-place votes to finish ahead of Campbell softball player Amber Schisler, who was second with 65 points (four first-place votes). Winthrop tennis player Lauren Proctor was third with 58 points (four first-place votes.

Cooper was voted the 2016-17 Big South Women’s field athlete of the year ,as well as the 2017 women’s indoor track and field most outstanding field performer. She won the Big South indoor weight throw for the third straight year with a mark of 21.18m (69 feet, 6 inches), which qualified her for the NCAA indoor track and field championships.

At the national meet, she placed 12th in the weight throw to earn her fourth All-American honor in two years. In seven indoor meets in 2016-17, Cooper finished first five times. She is also the first three-time winner of the conference’s women’s field athlete of the year award.

This story was originally published July 13, 2017 at 5:05 PM with the headline "Winthrop’s Cooper named Big South female athlete of the year."