IRVING, Texas – Conference USA announced today that Emmanuel Korir of UTEP cross country/track & field and Morgan Zerkle of Marshall softball were selected as the 2016-17 C-USA Athletes of the Year.

Complete Release (PDF)

Korir, a four-time C-USA Athlete of the Week, clocked a world-best 1:14.97 in the 600m at the New Mexico Cherry & Silver meet. He captured the NCAA title in the 800m for both indoor (1:47.48) and outdoor (1:45.03). The freshman is one of three athletes in the world to run an outdoor sub-45 400m and sub-1:44 800m. Korir was named to The Bowerman Watch List three times during the season and was named USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week twice.
 
Zerkle, a native of Milton, West Virginia, was one of 34 finalists for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award and will continue her career this summer with Team USA and as a member of the Scrap Yard Dawgs of National Pro Fastpitch. Zerkle led C-USA in batting average (.476) and ranked among the top 10 in runs scored (48, seventh), doubles (13, t-fourth), total bases (131, t-second), hits (79, first), RBI (43, fourth) and stolen bases (39, third).
 
The 2016-17 athletics season marked the 14th time that C-USA has honored Male and Female Athletes of the Year. The award is based solely on athletic achievement during an academic year and the winners are determined by a vote of the conference’s Athletics Directors.  A complete list of winners to follow:
 
Conference USA Athletes of the Year
2016-17          Emmanuel Korir, UTEP track & field/Morgan Zerkle, Marshall softball
2015-16          Brandon Doughty, WKU football/Kylee Hanson, Florida Atlantic softball
2014-15          Anthony Rotich, UTEP track & cross country/Miranda Kramer, WKU softball
2013-14          Anthony Rotich, UTEP track & cross country/Ebony Rowe, Middle Tennessee basketball
2012-13          Anthony Rotich, UTEP track & cross country/Aurieyall Scott, UCF track & field
2011-12          Case Keenum, Houston football/Camilla Carrera, UTEP softball
2010-11          Chad Zurcher, Memphis baseball/Tori Bowie, Southern Miss track & field
2009-10          Anthony Rendon, Rice baseball/Blessing Okagbare, UTEP track & field
2008-09          Jason Colwick, Rice track & field/Toni Paisley, East Carolina softball & Sara Radosevic, Tulane volleyball
2007-08          Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis basketball/Angel Shamblin, Houston softball
2006-07          Joe Savery, Rice baseball/Ebonie Floyd, Houston track & field
2005-06          Brad Lincoln, Houston baseball & DeAngelo Williams, Memphis football/Jillian Robbins, Tulsa basketball    
2004-05          Lance Broadway, TCU baseball/Sandora Irvin, TCU basketball
2003-04          Michael Kogan, Tulane tennis/Chandi Jones, Houston basketball