University of South Carolina sprinter Erika Rucker has been selected as the Southeastern Conference 2012 Indoor Freshman Runner of the Year the league announced Thursday.

The Flowery Branch graduate earned the honor after finishing fourth in the 400 meter dash at the SEC Indoor Championships last week with a time of 53.08 seconds. 

Her finish moved her into the NCAA’s top 10 and ranks her as the third-fastest freshman in the nation. 

She moved into South Carolina’s all-time top-10 list and cut two seconds off her season-opening time.

Rucker is the sixth Gamecock woman to earn an athlete of the year honor by the SEC, and she is the third to earn Freshman Runner of the Year honors.