With the last week of conference competition being completed, many Big West athletes made their marks count in both meet and institute record books. Bringing in a meet-record, UC Irvine’s Charles Jock received Big West Male Track Athlete of the Week, while Riverside’s Raquel Hefflin brought in Big West Female Track Athlete of the Week. Competing in field events, Kyle Inks of Cal Poly was named Big West Male Field Athlete of the Week and UC Santa Barbara’s Barbara Nwaba honored as Big West Female Athlete of the Week.
Jock set a meet record for the Anteaters at their home event, the 18th annual adidas/Steve Scott Invitational. Competing in the 800-meter, the senior from San Diego, Calif. finished with a 1:46.59 mark winning the event and sole possession of meet record. Jock also participated in the 4x400, running the anchor leg to finish with an individual time 45.7, and team finish 3:09.89 for a season-best relay time and first place completion.
Riverside’s Hefflin competed at the18th annual adidas/Steve Scott Invitational finishing first in the 1,500-meter. The sophomore finished with a 4:24.27 mark for the second-fastest time by a Big West athlete this season. This is the Compton, Calif. native’s first Big West Female Track Athlete of the Week recognition.
Inks brought in his first Big West Male Field Athlete of the Week honor with an outstanding performance in the pole vault event last week. The Murphys, Calif. native cleared 17’ 8.5” for a new personal best and first place finish at the Cal Poly/UCSB dual meet. Inks’ current mark is the Big West leading mark and is ranked ninth on the TFRRS list for the NCAA West Region.
Rounding out the weekly honors, Nwaba nabs her third consecutive Big West Female Field Athlete of the Week after competing at the Cal Poly/UCSB Dual. The senior had triple victories last week winning the javelin, 100-hurdles and high jump. Nwaba’s javelin finish ranked her fifth on the all-time school list while her high jump mark tied her for third on the UCSB all-time high jump list.
Others nominated: Jonathan Peterson (UC Davis), Gabe Hilbert (Long Beach State), Eric Surprenant (Cal Poly), Ryan Martin (UC Santa Barbara) (Men’s Track)
Melanise Chapman (UC Davis), Katie Wilson (Cal State Fullerton), Emily Cooper (Long Beach State), Ericka Nowell (UC Irvine), Cassie Brooker (UC Santa Barbara) (Women’s Track)
Travis Smith (UC Riverside), Ethan Ostrom (UC Ostrom), Jacob Fraser (Long Beach State), Alex Umstead (Cal Poly) (Men’s Field)
Deja Watkins (UC Riverside), Katrina Graves-Johnson (Long Beach State) (Women’s Field)