With the end of the season in sight, the Big West Track and Field competition continues to make record-breaking marks to solidify positions on the West Region and Div. I national charts.  Competing at the Mt. SAC Relays, UC Davis’ Jonathan Peterson earned Big West Male Track Athlete of the Week, UC Davis runner Sara Sumpter received Big West Female Track Athlete of the Week, while Long Beach State’s Tyler Wallace was named Big West Male Field Athlete of the Week and Aggie Emily Bush received Big West Female Field Athlete of the Week.

For his second weekly Big West Male Track Athlete of the Month honor this season, Peterson competed to break his own school record in the 5,000 meter in the Olympic Development Elite at Mt. SAC Relays last week.  The Clovis, Calif. native held the previous record 14:03.25 from competition in 2010, but crossed the finish line posting a 13:54.78 to hold a new school record for the Aggies.  He is now ranked No. 1 in Big West by more than 22 seconds, ranked 28th among all Div. I runners and 14th in the West Region.

Sumpter triples up this week as Big West Women’s Track Athlete of the Week for the third time this season.  Competing for the Aggies at the Mt. SAC Relays she posted a career-best 16:33.91 in the 5,000 meter for the first place finish.  The top finish solidified the Cloverdale, Calif. native the her already No. 3 position on Aggies’ career leader list.  She also is now ranked No. 1 in the Big West for this event and 29th in the West Region.

At the home meet, Wallace tied the winning height in a third place finish in pole vault for his first Big West Male Field Athlete of the Week recognition.  Wallace cleared a season-best 5.27 m at the Beach Invitational for the 49ers while finishing third on attempts.  The senior from Temecula, Calif. ranks second in conference for his posted mark, 17th in the West Region and 33rd in the nation.

Continuing in the female accolades for the Aggies, Bush was awarded her first Big West Women’s Field Athlete of the Week award after competing in the pole vault competition at two meets.  The junior from Orangevale, Calif. finished 6th with a mark of 3.70m on Friday at the Mt. SAC Relays, while taking a first place finish with a 4.02m mark on Saturday at the Woody Wilson Classic.  She is now ranked No.1 in Big West records passing her previous mark, tied 40th in Div. I ranks and tied for the 22nd position in the West Region.  

Others nominated: Ryan Martin (UC Santa Barbara), Derek Thomas (Cal Poly), Koree HInes (Long Beach State) Men’s Track)
Katie Wilson (Cal State Fullerton), Vanessa Hancock (Cal Poly), Christine Cooperstein (UC Santa Barbara), Shakina Phillips (Long Beach State)(Women’s Track)
Igor Seriba (UC Davis), MItchell Haag (UC Santa Barbara) (Men’s Field)
Irene Kujore (UC Santa Barbara), Whitney Sisler (Cal Poly), Katrina Graves-Johnson (Long Beach State) (Women’s Field)