BATON ROUGE — After a week highlighted by two SEC Championships — an undefeated regular season title in women’s basketball and the first women’s track and field title since 1999 — two LSU athletes on other teams stood out above the rest and earned their first LSU Athlete of the Week honor of their careers.
Junior gymnast Ashleigh Claire-Kearney neared perfection with two perfect 10’s in a win against Michigan State on her way to a career-high all around score of 39.800 to earn her first LSU Female Athlete of the Week honor.
Junior first-baseman Matt Clark shredded the Duquesne Dukes at Alex Box Stadium over the weekend, blasting five home runs in the three-game series including two in the third inning of Saturday’s game to earn LSU Male Athlete of the Week for the first time.
FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, Junior, Manchester, Conn.
Had one of the best individual meets in school history against Michigan State, posting perfect 10.0 scores on the vault and floor. She is only the second athlete in school history to post two 10.0 scores in one meet. Also posted a career-high 9.950 on the beam, winning her third event title of the night, and a 9.850 on the bars. Won the all-around with a 39.800, tying her for the third-highest all-around score in school history. Against Centenary, she posted a 9.950 on the vault for the event title and scored a 9.950 on the floor, placing second behind teammate Susan Jackson (9.975). Over the course of the weekend, Clare-Kearney won four event titles and one all-around title.
MALE OF ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Matt Clark, 1B, Jr., Fontana, Calif.
Clark enjoyed an exceptional week, leading the Tigers to five straight wins. He hit .474 (9-for-19) in five games with one double, five homers, 11 RBI and nine runs. In LSU’s three-game series sweep of Duquesne, Clark batted .667 (8-for-12) with one double, five homers, nine RBI and eight runs. He homered twice in one inning on Saturday, launching two dingers during the Tigers’ 12-run outburst in the third frame against Duquesne. Clark is hitting .385 (10-for-26) on the season with team-highs of five homers and 12 RBI.