NEW ORLEANS - Appalachian State University men's track and field thrower, John Leonard, was named Sun Belt Conference Men's Field Student-Athlete of the Week, as announced by the league office on Wednesday.

"I'm very happy for John," said head coach John Weaver. "He's a senior that has made major contributions to the program during his time here. This is a well-deserved honor and he has really dedicated his time to becoming a great Sun Belt competitor. We'll look for him to be a major contributor to our success this weekend."

This past weekend, Leonard took second place in the weight throw at the Chipotle Marshall Invitational in Huntington, W.V. and did so with a heave of 60' 2.50". Not only is that mark a personal best for the senior, but it is the second-best distance in the Sun Belt this season.

The Fayetteville, N.C. native also finished in seventh place for the shot put with a mark of 48-8.25. His personal record of 52' 2.50", which came in January at ETSU's David E. Walker Kickoff Classic, currently ranks seventh in the league.

The last Mountaineers to be given a weekly honor by the conference were Tristin Van Ord and Kimani Hoffman just over a year ago on Feb. 11, 2015. Van Ord was the women's track athlete of the week and Hoffman was the men's field athlete of the week.

The Black and Gold will host the App State Pre-Conference Open on Friday beginning at 3 p.m. and it is the last chance for Mountaineers to qualify for the Sun Belt Indoor Championships on Feb. 22-23. Leonard has already made his reservation for Birmingham in both the weight throw and shot put.