FARMINGTON, Utah (Jan. 26, 2026) – The Big Sky Conference announced its Player of the Week honors, presented by
JAMBAR, with men's indoor track & field, women's indoor track & field, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's tennis and women's tennis all in action.
Big Sky Indoor Track & Field Athletes of the Week (January 26, 2026)
Men's Track Athlete of the Week: Sam Ells, Montana State (Sr., Kalispell, Mont.)
With a victory in the men’s mile at the Bobcat Challenge, Montana State’s Sam Ells has been named Men’s Track Athlete of the Week. Ells ran an altitude converted 3:58.01 on his home track to set the third-fastest time in the Big Sky so far this season. That time also puts him 27
th nationally.
Others Nominated for Men's Track Athlete of the Week
Griffen Parsells (UI), Sunny Gunn (ISU), Karsen Beitz (UM), Daniel Beckford (UNC), Zach Payne (PSU)
Men's Field Athlete of the Week: Shawn Twumasi Ampofo, Idaho (Sr., Chelmsford, United Kingdom)
Idaho’s Shawn Twumasi Ampofo is the Big Sky Men’s Field Athlete of the Week following a strong performance in the triple jump on his home turf. With a leap of 15.84m (51’ 11.75”) he set the best mark in the Big Sky Conference so far this season and shot up the national leaderboard to No. 16 in the NCAA.
Others Nominated for Men's Field Athlete of the Week
Alex Blecha (EWU), Sam Henderson (UM), Destiny Nkeonye (MSU), Tyler Rogers (UNC)
Women's Track Athlete of the Week: Montana State 4x400 Relay Team
After breaking the Montana State school record in the women’s 4x400-meter relay, the team comprised of Tilde Bjerager, Caroline Hawkes, Peyton Garrison, and Giulia Gandolfi has been named Women’s Track Athlete of the Week. They clocked an altitude adjusted time of 3:36.91 to win the event at the Bobcat Challenge and set a new school record by 1.5 seconds. The quartet is ranked 25th in the NCAA this season thanks to their performance, which marked their season debut in the event.
Others Nominated for Women's Track Athlete of the Week
Diana Fernandez (EWU), Rhyan Madden (UI), Callie Wilson (UM), Alexia Austin (UNC), Irina Lopez (PSU)
Women's Field Athlete of the Week: Hailey Coey, Montana State (Sr., Billings, Mont.)
Breaking her own Montana State and Big Sky record in the women’s long jump has earned Bobcat Hailey Coey Women’s Field Athlete of the Week honors. She jumped 6.47m (21’ 2.75”) at the Bobcat Challenge over the weekend, which puts her No. 5 in the NCAA to this point of the season. She also set a new school record in the women’s triple jump with a mark of 12.75m (41’ 10”).
Others Nominated for Women's Field Athlete of the Week
Suzi Woodall (EWU), Cami Cvitkovich (UI), Megan Moore (ISU), Brooke Stayner (UM), Camaria Corder (UNC)
Big Sky Women's Basketball Player of the Week (Jan. 27, 2026)
Women's Basketball Player of the Week: Natalie Picton, Sacramento State (G, Jr., Welland, Ontario, Canada)
Natalie Picton Averaged 18.0 ppg and shot 41 percent from the field in a split with second-place Idaho and Eastern Washington. Six of her 13 makes came from three-point range while averaging 3.5 rpg, 2.0 apg, and 2.5 spg. The junior has reached double figures in five of her last six contests and 14 of 20 games overall. She also shot 55 percent (6-for-11) from the field in the win over Eastern Washington, including a clutch three-pointer and went 4-of-4 from the line in the in the homestretch to help ice the win. Picton scored 10 of her 18 points in the first half against Idaho, adding four more three-pointers and finished with a combined five steals over the two games.
Other's Nominated for Women's Basketball Player of the Week
Kourtney Grossman (EWU), Rae Ehrman (UM), Naomi White (NAU), Heather Baymon (UNC), Kyleigh Brown (PSU)
Big Sky Men's Basketball Player of the Week (Jan. 27, 2026)
Men's Basketball Player of the Week: Terri Miller Jr., Portland State (F, Sr., Fresno, Calif.)
Leading his Vikings to a pair of road victories, and a 7-0 Big Sky record, has earned Portland State’s Terri Miller Jr. Men’s Basketball Player of the Week honors. Miller Jr. averaged 25.5 points per game against both Eastern Washington and Idaho to sweep another road swing. He dropped 29 against Idaho, with 20 of those points coming in the second half. PSU’s 7-0 start is the best undefeated start in Big Sky play and longest winning streak since 2007-08. This marks his first weekly honor from the Big Sky Conference. Miller Jr. is the third Portland State player to earn the award this season, joining teammates Jaylin Henderson and Tre-Vaughn Minott.
Other's Nominated for Men's Basketball Player of the Week
Isaiah Moses (EWU), Biko Johnson (UI), Tyler Thompson (UM), Jed Miller (MSU), Chris Komin (NAU), Brock Wisne (UNC), Mark Lavrenov (SAC), Tijan Saine Jr. (WSU)
Big Sky Men's Tennis Player of the Week (Jan. 28, 2026)
Men's Tennis Player of the Week: Dawid Scholtz, Weber State (Fr., Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa)
Dawid Scholtz earned weekly honors after winning three matches over the weekend, with two coming against UNLV. Scholtz won at the No. 2 spot in doubles and the No. 3 position in singles, with his singles victory tying the match with the Rebels at 3-3 before the narrow team defeat in Las Vegas. The freshman’s singles win at the No. 2 spot against UC Riverside gave Weber State a 3-2 advantage, before they secured the 5-2 team victory. The weekly conference honor is the first of Scholtz’ career.
Others Nominated for Men's Tennis Player of the Week
Duncan McCall (UM), Noa Tcherniack (NAU), Maas Schotanus (PSU), Martin Duris (SAC)
Big Sky Women's Tennis Player of the Week (Jan. 28, 2026)
Women's Tennis Player of the Week: Irene Riva, Sacramento State (Jr., Parma, Italy)
Irene Riva won weekly honors after earning a 4-2 record this past weekend on a three-match road swing for Sacramento State. The junior from Italy won two of her three doubles matches at the No. 1 spot, while posting a pair of singles wins at the No. 2 position to highlight her week. Riva has now won weekly honors four times during her three-year career with the Hornets.
Others Nominated for Women's Tennis Player of the Week
Terezie Stverakova (MSU)
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