More top marks and finishes, including a new conference record, were posted by the Big West Track and Field Athletes of the Week.
Long Beach State senior Gabe Hilbert (La Palma, Calif./Cerritos College) earned Men's Track Athlete of the Week accolades after a solid performance at the Steve Scott Invitational. He ran a season-best 1:49.70 in the 800 meters to finish second overall, and first among collegians. The mark is tops in the Big West and ranks 27th in the West Region, while finishing just .29 seconds off Hilbert's lifetime best.
UC Davis junior Alycia Cridebring (Pleasant Hill, Calif./College Park HS) collected Women's Track Athlete of the Week honors for her record breaking effort in the 5,000 meters at the Payton Jordan Invitational at Stanford. She ran a 15:49.05 in the 5K to smash her own school record of 16:06.14 set at the Stanford Invitational earlier this season. The 17 second improvement also allowed Cridebring to establish a Big West record that Cal Poly's Laura Hollander, who went 15:53.73, just set on Apr. 19 at the Mt. SAC Relays. Cridebring finished second in her section of the 5K while posting a time that ranks No. 6 in the NCAA West Region and No. 12 nationally.
The Men's Field Athlete of the Week went to an individual who rewrote the school record in the pole vault. Cal Poly senior John Prader (Salinas, Calif./Salinas HS) broke a 16-year school record in the event when he cleared 18-7.25 at the Mustangs' home dual meet with UC Santa Barbara. The height broke Sean Brown's previous record of 18-6.75 set in 1997. Prader also landed the No. 1 mark in the West Region and ranked third nationally.
UC Irvine sophomore Itos Aikhionbare (Eagle Rock, Calif./La Salle HS) captured a pair of victories at the Steve Scott Invitational to garner Women's Field Athlete of the Week recognition. She won the shot put title with a mark of 49-0.25 (14.94m) as well as the discus throw at 163-4 (49.78). Aikhionbare ranks second in the conference in the shot put and first in the discus.
Others nominated (Men's Track): Jamison Jordan (Cal Poly); Javon May (Cal State Fullerton); Trevor Ehlenbach (UC Davis); Jordan Scott (UC Santa Barbara)
Others nominated (Men's Field): Travis Smith (UC Riverside)
Others nominated (Women's Track): Katie Wilson (Cal State Fullerton); Meghan Foley (Long Beach State); Damajeria DuBose (UC Riverside); Grace Esslinger (UC Santa Barbara)
Others nominated (Women's Field): Kendal Nielsen (Cal Poly); Amanda Klinchuch (Long Beach State); Praise Adesida (UC Davis); Deja Watkins (UC Riverside); Irene Kujore (UC Santa Barbara); Camie Kohashi (Hawaii)