/search
# #

De Mello Named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year

by wsucougars.com
May 19, 2022

SAN FRANCISCO -  Freshman Washington State hurdler Micaela De Mello was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year as announced by the league office Thursday, becoming the second Washington State track and field student-athlete to win the award and the first woman in program history to be recognized as freshman of the year.

Last week, De Mello lowered her program record by .10 in prelims of the women's 100m hurdles at the Pac-12 Championships with a time of 13.07.  She later placed second overall in her first-ever conference meet, dropping her program record yet again with a 13.03 in the 100m hurdles final.  Her 13.03 currently ranks as the 16th-best time in the NCAA this spring and is the 51st-fastest 100m hurdle time in the world this year.

A native of Palhoça, Brazil, De Mello burst onto the scene with top-five all-time times in the 60m hurdles in her second indoor race.  In her first prelims heat of the outdoor season, she broke a WSU freshman record that had stood since 1999 with a 13.28 and later broke the all-time 100m hurdle school record that had stood since 2007 with a 13.08 to win the event at the Baldy Castillo Invitational, her first collegiate meet.

De Mello was named Pac-12 Track Athlete of the Week for her efforts at the Baldy Castillo, becoming the first WSU recipient since 2018.  A former Brazilian Junior National Champion and 100m hurdles record-holder, De Mello was a two-time South American Junior Champion (U18 & U23) and has lowered the WSU 100m hurdle record a total of three times this outdoor season.

Up Next:
Washington State men's and women's track & field teams will turn its attention to the next leg of their postseason push as they travel from one iconic venue to the next at the 2022 NCAA West Regionals at John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville, Ark.

For all the latest track & field news, photos and videos, follow the teams on Facebook (facebook.com/wsucougartrack), Twitter (@wsucougartf) and Instagram (@wsucougartf).
 
 

Related News & Videos