The four Big West Track and Field Athlete of the Week winners either broke or helped break school records as a precursor to the upcoming conference championships.

UC Davis senior Kaio Sena (San Pablo, Calif./Pinole Valley HS) captured Big West Men’s Track Athlete of the Week honors after two first-place finishes at the Causeway Dual, including a new school 4x100 relay record.  Sena ran the third leg of the 4x100 relay that finished 1st in 40.27, breaking the previous mark of 40.56 set during the 2001 NCAA Division II Championships.  The mark ranks first in the Big West this season and tied for 37th in the West Region.  Sena also finished first in the 100-meters with a conference-leading time of 10.42, which also ranks No. 2 on the Aggie career leaders list.  He also competed in the 200-meters, running a 21.51 for fourth place.  That performance placed Sena at No. 6 on the school’s career list.  Sena helped UC Davis defeat rival Sacramento State in a dual meet for the first time as a Division I member.

For the fourth time this season, UC Davis junior Ashley Marshall (Moreno Valley, Calif./Rancho Verde HS) claimed Big West Women’s Track Athlete of the Week honors.  The conference’s top sprinter was involved in three first-place finishes against Sacramento State in the Causeway Dual.  She ran 11.22 in the 100-meters and 23.33 in the 200-meters to improve upon her Big West leading times.  Her mark in the 100 is the fourth-fastest in the West Region and No. 7 in the NCAA.  In addition, Marshall led off the Aggie 4x100 relay effort which finished in 45.02 and smashed the school record of 45.18 set in 2013.

UC Riverside senior Ted Hooper (Arcadia, Calif./Arcadia HS) broke his own school record in the long jump by 2.25 inches.  Hooper cleared 25-10.25 (7.88m) to win the event at the Steve Scott Invitational and earn his second Big West Men’s Field Athlete of the Week honor.  The distance is tops in the Big West by five inches, while also ranking third in the West Region and sixth nationally.  Hooper also helped the Highlanders place third in the 4x100 relay (41.33).

UC Irvine junior Itos Aikhionbare (Eagle Rock, Calif./La Salle HS) notched Big West Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after shattering the school career record in the shot put.  Aikhionbare’s toss of 53-9 (16.38m) won the event at the adidas/Steve Scott Invitational and eclipsed the previous mark of 51.9.75 set by Alisha Misiaita in 2009.  Her mark ranks No. 1 in the Big West, sixth in the West Region and 15th nationally.  Aikhionbare also came in second in the discus throw at 160-0 (48.76m).

Others nominated (Men’s Track): Chris Frias (Cal Poly); Taylor Ros (Cal State Fullerton); Lloyd Sicard (UC Irvine); Michael Koger (UC Riverside); Shyan Vaziri (UC Santa Barbara)

Others nominated (Women’s Track): Ajah Love (Cal Poly); Katie Wilson (Cal State Fullerton); Amber Clark (Long Beach State); Megan George (UC Irvine); Faith Makau (UC Riverside); Tori Tsolis (UC Santa Barbara)

Others nominated (Men’s Field): Patrick Hughes (Cal Poly); Albert Hughes (UC Santa Barbara)

Others nominated (Women’s Field): Kendal Nielsen (Cal Poly); Ty’Jalayah Robertson (Cal State Fullerton); Praise Adesida (UC Davis); Danielle Littleton (UC Riverside); Melissa Rake (UC Santa Barbara)