A four-way tie exemplified the excellent performances the Big West track & field teams put forth last weekend as the women's track honor was shared among four athletes.
Cal State Northridge's Sherrina Lofton, Long Beach State's Kristin Kiefer, UC Davis' Sirena Williams and UC Irvine's Samantha Constantini shared the women's track honor. Lofton ran a lifetime best 54.64 in the 400-meters at the Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner Kersee Invitational, the best time in the Big West this season and just .03 off a Regional qualifier. Kiefer finished in first in the 400 hurdles (61.98), third in the 100 hurdles (14.27) and running a leg on the first place 4x400 relay team (3:12.01) at the Big West Challenge Cup. All of her times were personal bests as she led the 49ers to the meet title. Williams, who becomes the third Aggie to win the women’s weekly track honor this season, claimed second place in the 100 hurdles (14.06) at the Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner Kersee Invitational. She broke the school record of 14.23 while racing into a headwind and ran a personal best time. Constantini won two events at the Big West Challenge Cup as she placed first in the 800 (2:13.3) and the 1500 (4:29.78). Her time in 1500 was a meet record, while both times were career-bests.
The rest of the awards had solo winners as Austin Fowler of Long Beach State won the Men's Track Athlete of the Week, while Cal State Northridge's Derek Cooper and Long Beach State's Alex Shaw won the Men’s and Women's Field Athlete of the Week honors, respectively.
Fowler claimed four titles, two individual and two relay, at the Big West Challenge Cup. He won the 100 (10.60) and 200 (21.38), while running legs on the winning 4x100 (40.12) and 4x400 (3:12.01) relay contingents. He recorded personal bests in the 100, 200 and 4x100 relay.
Cooper recorded a third place finish in the shot put (59-2.75) and a fifth place showing in the discus (180-11) at the Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner Kersee Invitational. Both marks bettered his previous NCAA Regional qualifying standards and were lifetime bests.
Shaw, who won her second field honor in three weeks, finished first in the javelin (163-09) at the Big West Challenge Cup. She shattered the meet record by six feet, won the event by 39 feet and now ranks 9th nationally in the event.