Three individuals climbed to the top of the conference's "Best Marks" list to highlight the Big West Track and Field Athlete of the Week awards.
The Big West Men's Track Athlete of the Week is Long Beach State redshirt freshman Chris Enriquez
(Downey, Calif./Queens University of Charlotte), who posted the Big West's No. 1 time in the 5000 meters as he crossed the finish line in 14:12.89 at the Mt. SAC Relays. He eclipsed his personal best by 17 seconds with the third place finish in the Open "B" Division. Enriquez, who had the fourth fastest time in school history, outdueled Cal Poly junior Chris Frias for the Big West's top spot by less than a second.
Making her 2013 debut a superb one was Women's Track Athlete of the Week Laura Hollander (Huntington Beach, Calif./Marina HS). The Cal Poly freshman set a Big West conference record with her mark of 15:53.73 in the 5,000 meters of the Olympic Development Elite Division at the Mt. SAC Relays. The time placed her third in her section. She fell just short of the Cal Poly school record of 15:50.40 that belongs to Amy Harper (1983), but Hollander replaces UC Santa Barbara's Amanda Moreno as the Big West record holder in the event. Moreno ran a 15:58.02 for the Gauchos in 2011.
Ted Hooper (Arcadia, Calif./Arcadia HS) was the third individual to rise to the top of the conference's "Best Marks" list with a stellar performance that garnered him Men's Field Athlete of the Week plaudits. The UC Riverside junior leapt 24-9.25 (7.55m) in the long jump to take over first place in the Big West while finishing sixth in the event at the Mt. SAC Relays. It was a personal best for Hooper, who moved into 10th place in the West Region and closed within seven inches of the Highlander school record owned by Don Barfield in 1972. Hooper also cleared 47-1.00 (14.35m) in the triple jump to place 12th overall at the Beach Invitational.
His mark put him in sole command of sixth place in the conference.
The Women's Field Athlete of the Week honor went to Hawai‘i senior Samantha Balentine (Lodi, Calif./Lodi HS). One week removed from setting a PR in the high jump with a clearance of 6-0.5 at the Sacramento Mondo Mid-Major Challenge, Balentine put forth a winning effort at the Beach Invitational. She jumped 5-10.5 (1.79m) to finish first at that meet and had a mark of 5-10.75 (1.80m) at the Mt. SAC Relays which placed her third. Balentine still ranks No. 6 in the NCAA with the mark she achieved at the Mid-Major Challenge.
Others nominated (Men's Track): Bryan Luther (Cal State Fullerton); Sam Hyams (UC Irvine); Hernell Dyer (UC Riverside); Shyan Vaziri (UC Santa Barbara)
Others nominated (Men's Field): John Prader (Cal Poly); Walter Whitaker (Cal State Fullerton); Jacob Fraser (Long Beach State); Mitch Haag (UC Santa Barbara)
Others nominated (Women's Track): Deena Pierce (Cal State Fullerton); Lauren Wallace (UC Davis); Amanda Rodriguez (UC Santa Barbara)
Others nominated (Women's Field): Danielle Steffen (UC Davis); Itos Aikhionbare (UC Irvine)