FARMINGTON, Utah (May 9, 2022) – Featuring an athlete that broke a collegiate record that stood for over 40 years, the Big Sky Conference has announced its final Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Week awards for the 2022 campaign.
Men's Track Athlete of the Week – Abdihamid Nur, Northern Arizona
Breaking a collegiate record that had stood for 44 years, Northern Arizona’s Abdihamid Nur has been named Big Sky Men’s Track Athlete of the Week for the third time this outdoor season.
Nur’s 5,000-meter time of 13:06.32 outpaced Henry Rono’s mark of 13:08.4, which was the longest standing collegiate track and field record, and even set the world record back in 1978.
Since it was an NCAA record, it was of course a Big Sky Conference record, which he now holds three of on the outdoor circuit.
Nur, who has been on the watchlist for the Bowerman Award, was a two-time individual NCAA National Champion on the indoor circuit and helped lead Northern Arizona to their fifth NCAA Men’s Cross Country NCAA National Championship in the past six seasons.
He hit the mark at the Sound Running Track Meet, where the Lumberjacks took over the top-three spots in the Big Sky for the men’s 5K.
Others Nominated: Jerome Campbell (Northern Colorado), Duncan Hamilton (Montana State)
Men's Field Athlete of the Week – Qwazon Al-Khaliq, Northern Colorado
Breaking the Northern Colorado record, and leaping to No. 6 in the entire NCAA, Northern Colorado’s Qwazon Al-Khaliq is the Big Sky’s Men’s Field Athlete of the Week.
In the men’s triple jump at the Air Force Twilight Meet, Al-Khaliq leaped 16.30 to move into the top spot in the Big Sky Conference. He is also now No. 2 in the NCAA West Region.
Others Nominated: Canton Coverdell (Montana State), Bryaden Freitag (Eastern Washington), Lachlan Burns (Weber State), Brent Yeakey (Montana)
Women's Field Athlete of the Week – Tanessa Morris, Montana
Breaking a University of Montana school record has earned Griz Tanessa Morris Big Sky Women’s Field Athlete of the Week honors.
Morris completed a throw of 64.12 meters (210’ 4”) to set the best mark in Montana history and jump to the top of the Big Sky listing.
She is now also No. 26 nationally. Her victory at the Tom Gage Classic was the 11
th of her career.
Others Nominated: Celestia Hammond (Montana State), Hailey Harris (Northern Colorado), Savannah Schultz (Eastern Washington)
Women's Track Athlete of the Week – Morgan Evans, Montana State
Winning the 100-meter hurdles at the Tom Gage Classic has earned Montana State’s Morgan Evans Big Wky Women’s Track Athlete of the Week honors.
Evans ran a 13.98, which didn’t quite surpass her 13.63 earlier this season, which puts solidly second in the Big Sky heading into the championships.
Others Nominated: Wendira Moss (Northern Colorado), Jansen Ziola (Montana)
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Previous Winners
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, Northern Colorado / Trenton Givens, Northern Arizona
M. Field – Evan Stork, Sacramento State
April 18, 2022
W. Track – Camila Noe, Montana State
W. Field – Hannah Ringel, Idaho
M. Track – Abdihamid Nur, Northern Arizona
M. Field – Colby Wilson, Montana State
April 25, 2022
W. Track – Emily Barnes-Sterzer, Weber State
W. Field – Emily Barnes-Sterzer, Weber State
M. Track – Chase Lovercheck, Portland State
M. Field – Lachlan Burns, Weber State
May 2, 2022
W. Track – Emily Barnes-Sterzer, Weber State
W. Field – Lucy Corbett, Montana State
M. Track – Duncan Hamilton, Montana State
M. Field – Grady Leonard, Idaho