RICHARDSON – The Lone Star Conference announced its 2021 Outdoor Track and Field Athletes of the Year on Friday morning, and Texas A&M University-Commerce's Ushan Perera took home Male Field Athlete of the Year while Minna Svaerd was named Female Track Athlete of the Year in back-to-back years that the award has been given.
 
Perera (Mahabage, Sri Lanka) was the national champion in the men's high jump with a top clearance of 2.17 meters (7' 1 ½") at the national meet. The All-American jumped 2.30 meters (7' 6 ½") at the LSC meet to take the conference title, the Sri Lankan national record, and South Asian record as well and will continue to pursue his Olympic dreams during the summer. He was named the USTFCCCA South Central Region Field Athlete of the Year and Oscar Strahan Award winner for LSC Outstanding Outdoor Field Athlete. In the indoor season, he took the USTFCCCA National and Regional Field Athlete of the Year awards, as well as LSC field athlete of the year. 
 
Perera is the second LSC Male Field Athlete of the Year in program history, the first being given to Florian Obst in 2018.

Svaerd (Karlstad, Sweden) added to her long list of accolades at the national meet with two first team All-American awards. She won the bronze medal in the 400 meter hurdles, tying her own school record with a time of 58.13, and was the anchor leg on the sixth place 4x400 meter relay team that finished in 3:44.88. At the LSC Championships, Svaerd was the gold medalist in the 400 meter hurdles, the 4x400 meter relay , and the pole vault.
 
Svaerd has won the Female Track Athlete of the Year for the second time in her career and it is A&M-Commerce's third in program history. The first for the women's Lion program was Kamryn McKee in 2018.

LSC OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
Male Track Athlete of the Year: Benjamin Azamati, West Texas A&M
Male Field Athlete of the Year: Ushan Perera, A&M-Commerce

Female Track Athlete of the Year: Minna Svaerd, A&M-Commerce
Female Track Athlete of the Year: Zada Swoopes, West Texas A&M