FARMINGTON, Utah (April 25, 2022) – In a rare feat, Weber State's Emily Barnes-Sterzer was named the Big Sky's Track Athlete of the Week and Field Athlete of the Week following her successful weekend for the Wildcats. The men's side was split between fellow Wildcat Lachlan Burns for Field Athlete of the Week and Chase Lovercheck of Portland State for Track Athlete of the Week.
Men's Track Athlete of the Week – Chase Lovercheck (Portland State)
Portland State's Chase Lovercheck won his second straight 800-meter race this past Saturday, backing up his strong showing the previous week with another win at the Oregon Relays. Lovercheck won the open section of the 800 at the Oregon Relays in 1:51.63, a nearly identical time to what he ran a week earlier at the Bryan Clay Invitational, where he finished in 1:51.40. Lovercheck's last two 800-meter times are his second and third-best times ever in a Viking uniform, trailing only his personal best of 1:50.92 that he ran while making a surprise podium finish at the 2019 Big Sky Outdoor Championships as a freshman.
Others nominated: Joe Gauthier (EWU), Payton Riggs(Southern Utah)
Men's Track Field of the Week – Lachlan Burns (Weber State)
Weber State's Lachlan Burns was named the Big Sky Field Athlete of the Week, after the senior jumped a 5.16m in the pole vault over the weekend. The Australian native's jump in the pole vault won the event at the Robinson Invitational.
Others nominated: Zach Klobutcher (EWU)
Women's Track Athlete of the Week – Emily Barnes-Sterzer (Weber State)
Weber State's Emily Barnes-Sterzer finished third in the 400-meter hurdles over the weekend, with a time of 1:00.10. The time was just a couple seconds shy of a personal record for the senior, with her season-best still ranking first in the Big Sky for the outdoor slate.
Others nominated: Madisan DeBos (Southern Utah), Madelyn Knight (EWU)
Women's Track Field of the Week – Emily Barnes-Sterzer (Weber State)
Emily Barnes-Sterzer was also named Big Sky Field Athlete of the Week after her showing in the heptathlon this past weekend. The senior roared to a Weber State record and first-place finishing score of 5202 points in the event, finishing first in the 200m, 800m and the high jump. Barnes-Sterzer also set a personal record in the high jump with a mark of 5' 5.25" which is just shy of first place in the Big Sky this season.
Others nominated: Emily Wilson (Southern Utah), Carissa Stovall (EWU)
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Past 2022 Big Sky Outdoor Track & Field Athletes of the Week
March 21, 2022
W. Track – Elise Stearns, Northern Arizona
W. Field – Lucy Corbett, Montana State
M. Track – Duncan Hamilton, Montana State
M. Field – Evan Stork, Sacramento State
March 28, 2022
W. Track – Elena Carter, Montana State
W. Field – Maggie Nelson, Eastern Washington
M. Track – Drake Schneider, Montana State
M. Field – Evan Todd, Montana
April 4, 2022
W. Track – Jessa Hanson, Northern Arizona
W. Field – Tanessa Morris, Montana
M. Track – Abdihamid Nur, Northern Arizona
M. Field – Grady Leonard, Idaho
April 11, 2022
W. Track - Melanie Loff (Northern Arizona)
W. Field - Elizabeth White (Southern Utah)
M. Track - Jerome Campbell (UNC)/Trenton Givens (NAU)
M. Field - Evan Stork (Sacramento State)
April 18, 2022
W. Track - Camila Noe (Montana State)
W. Field - Hannah Ringel (Idaho)
M. Track - Abdihamid Nur (NAU)
M. Field - Colby Wilson (Montana State)