FARMINGTON, Utah (Jan. 20, 2025) – The Big Sky Conference will announce weekly honors for indoor track and field, women’s basketball, men’s basketball and tennis through the course of the week.
Big Sky Indoor Track & Field Athletes of the Week (Jan. 20, 2025)
Men’s Track Athlete of the Week: Ford Washburn, Northern Arizona (So., Iowa City, Iowa)
Northern Arizona’s
Ford Washburn won the men’s mile at the Lumberjack Team Challenge, clocking an altitude adjusted 3:55.22 to early Men’s Track Athlete of the Week honors. Currently it’s the seventh-fastest time in NCAA Division I and leads the Big Sky Conference. It was a personal best by nearly 15 seconds.
Others Nominated for Men’s Track Athlete of the Week
Maddy Shekhawat (EWU), Seth Babble (ISU), Xavier Simpson (MSU), Jerome Campbell (UNC), Amir Ahmed (PSU), Stephen Dahdouh (SAC), Alex Wheeler (WSU)
Men’s Field Athlete of the Week: Garret Bernt, Northern Arizona (Sr., North Bonneville, Wash.)
Leading the Big Sky in the men’s weight throw and sitting eighth in the nation, Northern Arizona’s
Garret Bernt is the league’s Men’s Field Athlete of the Week. This weekend Bernt won the Lumberjack Team Challenge with a 21.94m (71’ 11.75”) to win the event on his home turf. He qualified for the National Championships in the same event a season ago, where he finished third in the nation.
Others Nominated for Men’s Field Athlete of the Week
Jacob Webster (ISU), Colby Wilson (MSU), Dieumerci Migani (PSU), Miles Grant (SAC), Jake Weathers (WSU)
Women’s Track Athlete of the Week: Alex Carlson, Northern Arizona (Jr., Annandale, N.J.)
Running the fastest women’s mile in the country, after altitude adjustments, Northern Arizona’s
Alex Carlson is Big Sky Women’s Track Athlete of the Week. Winning the mile at the Lumberjack Team Challenge in 4:27.20 ranks her both at the top of NCAA DI and the Big Sky Conference. She then turned around and finished second in the 800-meters (top collegian, finished behind American mile record holder/1500m Olympian Niki Hiltz) with a new personal best of 2:09.49. That time ranks 19th in the country and second in the Big Sky and is the 10th fastest time in NAU history.
Others Nominated for Women’s Track Athlete of the Week
Anise Becker (ISU), Peyton Garrison (MSU), Regina Mpigachai (UNC), Irene Montoliu Tio (PSU), Ava Fitzgerald (SAC), Saga Hagelin (WSU)
Women’s Field Athlete of the Week: Hailey Coey, Montana State (Jr., Billings, Mont.)
Winning the long jump at the Spokane Sports Showcase with a leap of 6.12 meters (20’ 1”) has earned Montana State’s
Hailey Coey Women’s Field Athlete of the Week honors. That marked improved upon her career-best and improved upon the third-best mark in school history. Coey remains just the third woman in Bobcat history to clear 20 feet in the long jump indoors.
Others Nominated for Women’s Field Athlete of the Week
Dyvhine Fonoti (EWU), Kylee Dimick (ISU), Erin Wilde (UM), Sariyah Horne-Kemp (NAU), Natalie Cunningham (PSU), Tamia Ramos (SAC), Abby Triplett (WSU)
Big Sky Women's Basketball Player of the Week (Jan. 21, 2025)
Player of the Week: Taylor Feldman, Northern Arizona (G., Jr., Tustin, Calif.)
Taylor Feldman led Northern Arizona to a 2-0 week on the road, improving to 4-0 in conference road games. At Sacramento State, she scored over 20 points for the third-straight game with 28, including an 11-0 run of her own to help secure the road win for the Lumberjacks. Prior to her first FT miss on Thursday, she had made a program record 45-straight free throw attempts. She ended the day 6-of-14 from the field (42.9%), 4-for-7 from three-point range (57.1%) and 12-for-14 (85.7%) at the free throw line, while also adding six rebounds, five assists and a steal. Against Portland State, she scored 19 points for her fourth-straight game with 19+ points, shooting 42.9 percent (6-14) from the field, was 4-of-10 from three-point range and 3-for-4 at the free throw line along with two rebounds, four assists and two steals. On the week, the junior averaged 23.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. She made 12-of-28 from the field (42.9%), 8-of-17 from three-point range (47.1%), 83.3 percent (15-18) at the free throw line and totaled nine assists, good for 4.5 per game.
Others Nominated for Women’s Basketball Player of the Week
Kourtney Grossman (EWU), Olivia Nelson (UI), Tyler McCliment-Call (UM), Taylee Chirrick (MSU), Rhema Ogele (PSU), Jaydia Martin (SAC)
Big Sky Men's Basketball Player of the Week (Jan. 21, 2025)
Player of the Week: Connor Hollenbeck, Idaho State (F, Gr., Rapid City, S.D.)
Leading the Idaho State Bengals to their first back-to-back wins over Montana and Montana State since 2008-09,
Connor Hollenbeck has been named Big Sky Men’s Basketball Player of the Week. For the weekend he averaged 18.5 points per game, dropping a game-high 22 in ISU’s tight victory over Montana State. Over the two contests he shot 6-of-9 from 3-point range. He also averaged 5.5 rebounds per game and 3.5 assists per game. He is the 10
th different student-athlete to earn Player of the Week honors from the Big Sky this season. The Bengals are 3-2 in Big Sky play, and 8-8 on the year. They’ve also racked up a 6-2 record on their home floor.
Others Nominated for Big Sky Men's Basketball Player of the Week
Andrew Cook (EWU), Malik Moore (UM), Brandon Walker (MSU), Isaiah Hawthorne (UNC) Qiant Myers (PSU), Jacob Holt (SAC)
Big Sky Women's Tennis Player of the Week (Jan. 22, 2025)
Player of the Week: Hana Abdelhamid, Portland State (Fr., Alexandria, Egypt)
Hana Abdelhamid had a stellar debut weekend for Portland State, as the freshman posted a combined 3-1 record in two matches for the Vikings. The Alexandria, Egypt native went 2-0 in doubles play with partner Scarlett Perkins at the No. 2 spot, downing her Oregon and Montana foes before going 1-1 in singles play at the No. 3 position including a match-clincher against Montana.
Others Nominated for Women’s Tennis Player of the Week
Leandra Nizetic (EWU), Grace Haugen (UM), Meg McCarty (MSU), Daryna Shoshyna (NAU)
Big Sky Men's Tennis Player of the Week (Jan. 22, 2025)
Player of the Week: Caden Kammerer, Eastern Washington (Gr., Longmont, Colo.)
Caden Kammerer posted a 3-1 combined mark over the weekend for Eastern Washington, as the Eagles opened their season against North Dakota and Gonzaga. Kammerer won two doubles matches and a singles contest over the weekend, coming at the No. 2 line in doubles and No. 4 spot in singles play.
Others Nominated for Men’s Tennis Player of the Week
Dmitry Bezborodov (MSU), Henry Lamchinniah (SAC), Tristan Sarap (WSU)
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