Hampton University senior Francena McCorory was named Athlete of the Decade by the Daily Press honoring her accomplishments as a high school athlete.
McCorory, who last year won the NCAA title in the 400-meter dash at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships with a school-record 51.54, was a star at Bethel High School in Hampton, Va. McCorory was also a four-time MEAC champion last season, taking the 400-meter dash and 4x400-meter relay in the MEAC Indoor Championships, before taking the 200-meter dash and 400-meter dash at the MEAC Outdoor Championships.
McCorory won indoor and outdoor Group AAA state titles in the 100-, 200- and 300-meter dashes as a freshman, also becoming the state record holder in the 300-meter dash with a 38.23 as a sophomore. She was also the outdoor state champion in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, as well as the 4x100-meter relay.
McCorory won the indoor state title in the 300-meter dash and the outdoor title in the 100-, 200- and 4x100-meter relay races as a junior, before also earning state championships in the 300- and 500-meter dash as a senior. She set the national high school record in the 400-meter dash in 2006, running a 51.93 at the Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, Md.
Former Lady Pirates Yvette Lewis, a two-time NCAA champion in the high jump, was No. 5 on the Daily Press list of Prep Athlete of the Decade.
McCorory and the Lady Pirates will return to action on Jan. 9, when they travel to Fairfax, Va. to compete in the Father Diamond Invitational hosted by George Mason University.