NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt track and field’s Veronica Fraley was named the 2024 SEC Women’s Field Athlete of the Year, the league announced Wednesday. Award winners were chosen by a vote of the conference’s head coaches.
“Veronica is one of the most athletic, resilient, hardworking and determined athletes I’ve been around,” director of cross country and track and field Althea Thomas said. “She has maximized her opportunities and resources to grow over the past two years as a Commodore. This award sums up all her work. She represents Commodore Nation at the highest level with two graduate degrees, two SEC titles, 2024 SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year, Commissioners Cup awards and membership on two world championship teams for Team USA. We are so proud of what she has accomplished and will accomplish in the future.”
Fraley, a graduate student studying human development, has put together one final NCAA season that led her to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in two events—the discus and shot put. She punched her ticket to nationals in the two events, placing third in the discus and fourth in the shot put at the NCAA East First Round last weekend.
At the SEC Outdoor Championships, Fraley was awarded the Commissioner’s Trophy for scoring the most individual points. She won the shot put title with a sixth-round personal best of 18.29 meters and earned silver in the discus with a career-best 61.62-meter throw.
This season, she surpassed the 60-meter mark in the discus at four meets and set two facility records—Ole Miss Track Stadium and Vanderbilt Outdoor Track. Competing unattached at the Oklahoma Throws Series World Invitational, she threw 67.17 meters, setting a personal best. The mark is currently ranked fifth in the world, second in the United States.
In addition to her athletic success this season, she was named the Co-SEC Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Fraley and the Commodores will wrap up their NCAA season at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, beginning on June 6. Championship information can be found on NCAA.com.
