Pac-12 track and field Athletes of the Week announced
SAN FRANCISCO -- The Pac-12 Conference outdoor track and field athlete of the week honors for the opening week of outdoor track & field season:
Men’s Track Athlete of the Week: RICKY MORGAN, JR., USC (So., Woodbridge, Va.). Sophomore Ricky Morgan, Jr. won the 400-meter dash at the Power Conference Cardinal & Gold meet, running a personal best of 45.54, shaving off nearly a one second on his previous PR. His time is tops in the country and three of the top-five 400m times in the country so far this season were posted in that race. Morgan’s win helped the No. 16 Trojans place second at the meet which featured No. 3 Florida, No. 7 Texas and No. 13 Ohio State.
Women’s Track Athlete of the Week: JAIDE STEPTER, USC (Sr., Tucson, Ariz.). Senior Jaide Stepter won the 400-meter dash at the Power Conference Cardinal & Gold meet with a national-leading time and USC-record of 50.91. That time ranks fifth in Pac-12 history and broke the USC record of 51.39 set by Carol Rodriguez in 2008. It also tied the Loker Stadium record originally set by Monique Henderson in 2005. Stepter then was clocked with a 50.6 leg in the women’s 4x400-meter relay to lead the Trojans to victory with a time of 3:29.73, the fifth-fastest relay time in school history. That time also leads all college teams in the early season. The fourth-ranked Trojans defeated a four-team field that included three top-10 teams and all were in the top 16.
Men’s Field Athlete of the Week: ADOREE’ JACKSON, USC (So., Belleville, Ill.). Sophomore Adoree’ Jackson won the long jump at the Power Conference Cardinal & Gold Challenge last week, recording a wind-legal leap of 24-8.00/7.82m (+1.9). That jump ranks tied for sixth in the country. He also had a wind-aided leap of 25-10.75/7.89m (+4.1w). Jackson also placed second of eight in the 100 meters, crossing the finish line in a time of 10.41 seconds (+0.6), a time that ranks in the top-20 in the nation.
Women’s Field Athlete of the Week: MAGGIE EWEN, ARIZONA STATE (RS-So., St. Francis, Minn.). Redshirt-sophomore Maggie Ewen tallied 26 of Arizona State’s 78 points to lead ASU to the second-best score among Pac-12 teams at the Pac-12/Big Ten Invitational. Ewen won the discus event for the second-straight event, recording a throw of 169-08/51.72m which ranks in the top 20 in the nation. She also placed second out of 20 in the hammer with a throw of 204-02/62.24m and second of 12 in the shot put (52-10/16.10m).
2016 Pac-12 Track & Field Athletes of the Week
Men’s Track: March 22 – Devon Allen, ORE; Ricky Morgan, Jr., USC.
Women’s Track: March 22 – Annie Leblanc, ORE; Jaide Stepter, USC.
Men’s Field: March 22 – Cody Danielson, ORE; Adoree’ Jackson, USC.
Women’s Field: March 22 – Valarie Allman, STAN; Maggie Ewen, ASU.