Pac-12 track and field athletes of the week announced
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- The Pac-12 Conference outdoor track and field athlete of the week honors for the the week of April 21-27:
Men’s Track Athlete of the Week: EDWARD CHESEREK, OREGON (Fr., Newark, N.J.). Freshman Edward Cheserek was named the Penn Relays Men’s College Athlete of the Meet after helping the Men of Oregon to a victory in the 4xMile relay on Saturday, in addition to a distance medley relay (DMR) win on Friday. Cheserek ran the meet’s fastest mile split during the second leg of the 4xMile (3:56.4), a day after he broke open the DMR during the Ducks’ victory finishing that mile in 3:57.98. The 4xMile time is the sixth-fastest in NCAA history while the DMR finish made Oregon the seventh-fastest school in NCAA history.
Women’s Track Athlete of the Week: KATIE FLOOD, WASHINGTON (Jr., Des Moines, Iowa). Des Moines native junior Katie Flood returned to the Drake Relays for the first time since high school, when she won six individual titles. Flood anchored two relays for the Huskies, leading both to victories. On Friday she closed out a win in the 4x1600-meter relay with a final mile split of 4:41, outrunning Iowa State, Arkansas and Minnesota. Saturday she thrilled the hometown fans at Drake Stadium with another big kick to win the distance medley relay with a 1600m split of 4:37 to top Baylor by three seconds.
Men’s Field Athlete of the Week: ALEXANDRE KIZIRIAN, COLO (Sr., Thornton, Colo.). Senior Alexandre Kizirian placed first in the hammer throw at the Jack Christiansen Invitational. Kizirian recorded a new personal best with a toss of 198-11 (60.63m), maintaining his place as the second best performer in the event in CU history. The mark also ranks sixth in the Pac-12 this season.
Women’s Field Athlete of the Week: ALEXANDRA COLLATZ, USC (Jr., Bakersfield, Czalif.). Junior Alexandra Collatz threw the discus 187-4 (57.09m) in the women’s invitational discus competition at the Triton Invitational in San Diego, Calif., on Friday. Her throw was the tops by a college athlete and seventh overall in the competition. Collatz’s mark was two inches off her personal best which currently ranks fifth among collegiate discus throwers and second on USC’s all-time list.
2014 Pac-12 Track & Field Athletes of the Week
Men’s Track: March 25 - Nick Hartle, UCLA; April 1 - Milan Ristic, CAL; April 8 - Steven Solomon, STAN; April 15 - André McBride, WSU; April 22 - Aleec Harris, USC; April 29 - Edward Cheserek, ORE.
Women’s Track: March 25 - Jessica Davis, USC; April 1 - Jenna Prandini, ORE; April 8 - Laura Roesler, ORE; April 15 - Kylie McBride, UCLA; April 22 - Jenna Pranidini, ORE; April 29 - Katie Flood, WASH.
Men’s Field: March 25 - Remington Conatser, USC; April 1 - Viktor Fajoyomi, USC; April 8 - Avery Mickens, ARIZ; April 15 - Nick Ross, ARIZ; April 22 - Julian Wruck, UCLA; April 29 - Alexandre Kizirian, COLO.
Women’s Field: March 25 - Emily Hunsucker, COLO; April 1 - Julie Labonté, ARIZ; April 8 - Kylie Price, UCLA; April 15 - Julie Labonté, ARIZ; April 21 - Alexis Walker, UCLA; April 29 - Alexandra Collatz, USC.