New Jersey City University Athletics

WEEK of: DECEMBER 1-7, 2008

Sophomore transfer MERCEDES HICKS (Millville, NJ/Atlantic City) is the NJCU Women's co-Athlete of the Week after she crushed the school record in the shot put in her first meet at New Jersey City University as the Gothic Knight women’s indoor track and field team opened its 2008-09 season on December 7 at the Seton Hall Open at the Richie and Sheila Regan Fieldhouse. 

Hicks, a former First-Team All-State performer in the shot put, won the shot put by a staggering 14 feet, 8 ½ inches over the rest of the field with an NCAA provisional qualifying distance of 13.12 meters (43-00.50). The NCAA mark was 12.90. Hicks crushed a nearly 10-year-old NJCU record in the event by more than two feet. That record of 12.48 meters was established by Keisha Owen on February 27, 1999. Hicks also set a new meet record, topping the distance of 12.84 meters by Montclair State University’s Monique Riddick, on March 2, 2008. Riddick eventually won the Division III national title last year.