FARMINGTON, Utah (Mar. 18, 2024) – The Big Sky Conference office has released its first round of Outdoor Track & Field Men’s and Women’s Athlete of the Week honors for the 2024 campaign, highlighted once again by Northern Arizona’s Nico Young making national headlines with a new collegiate best mark in a distance event.
Track & Field Athlete of the Week is awarded each week during the regular season that four or more teams compete.
Men's Track Athlete of the Week – Nico Young, Northern Arizona
A week removed from winning two individual national titles, Northern Arizona’s Nico Young continued his historic career in record-breaking fashion yet again, running the fastest collegiate 10K in history.
This also led to him becoming Big Sky Men’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week.
At The TEN in San Juan Capistrano, California, Young pulled off a 26:52.72 to set a new collegiate record, Northern Arizona record and Big Sky Conference record. The race was also his first-ever collegiate 10K.
Young now actively holds two collegiate records, both in this event and the indoor 5K.
Others Nominated: Cooper Hewett (UM), Abdinajib Abade (PSU), Malachi Cox (SAC)
Men's Field Athlete of the Week – Ryan Rieckmann, Eastern Washington
Eastern Washington Ryan Rieckmann has been named Men’s Field Athlete of the Week after tossing the best javelin mark in the Big Sky so far this season.
Rieckmann hit a 64.84 at the Sam Adams Classic to take the top spot for the week.
Others Nominated: Parker Bays (NAU), Evan Todd (UM), Dieumerci Migani (PSU), Malik Shakur (SAC)
Women's Track Athlete of the Week – Madeline Wilson, Northern Arizona
Winning both the 100-meter and 200-meter at the Arizona Spring Break Fiesta has earned Northern Arizona’s Madeline Wilson Women’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week honors.
Wilson clocked a 11.63 in the 100-meter and 23.16 in the 200-meter.
Others Nominated: Madelyn Knight (EWU), Katie Whitehurst (UM), Laura Beghin (PSU), Breija Stredic (SAC)
Women's Field Athlete of the Week – Caitlin Simmons, Eastern Washington
Eastern Washington’s Caitlin Simmons has been named Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after strong performances in both the triple jump and the long jump.
Simmons broke the program record in the triple jump with a 12.59m mark at the Sam Adams Classic to win the event. Simmons then posted a 6.18m jump in the long jump. Despite the mark, Simmons was second to teammate Kimberly Smith, who set the EWU long jump record with a 6.27m mark.
Others Nominated: Brenna Rodriguez (NAU), Savana Ramirez (UM), Alison Calvin-Stupfel (PSU), Tamia Ramos (SAC)
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