The recipients of Big West Track and Field Athlete of the Week honors came from four different schools.
UC Irvine junior Brennan Doyle (Burbank Calif./Pasadena City College) earned Big West Men’s Track Athlete of the Week honors after winning the 400 meters at the UCR Spring Track Classic in a personal-record 47.76; the junior finished ahead of the pack by nearly a full second. His mark is the second-best in the Big West this season and ranks 31st in the NCAA West Region. Doyle was also UC Irvine’s top finisher in the 200 meter at 22.16 which ranked 11th at the classic.
Cal Poly senior Miranda Daschian (Atascadero, Calif./Cuesta College) was one of two individuals to break the meet record for the 1,500 meter at the Cal Poly Invitational to capture Big West Women’s Track Athlete of the Week accolades. The senior placed second overall, the first among collegians, with a time of 4:25.01 in the event. Daschian also placed second in the 3,000 meter in 9:41:21, a personal-record. Her 1,500 meter time ranks No. 1 in the Big West Conference and No. 2 in the NCAA West Region, just 0.6 seconds back of the top spot regionally.
Long Beach State senior Herman Day (Bakersfield, Calif./Ridgeview HS) set a meet record at the UC Riverside Spring Break Decathlon to claim Big West Men’s Field Athlete of the Week kudos. Day established a personal-best with 7,410 points and won five of 10 events including the long jump, shot put, high jump, discus and javelin. His performance moved him up to No. 3 on the all-time list for the program and is the highest recorded score in the Big West since 2013. Day’s mark also ranks No. 1 in the NCAA.
UC Riverside Dilini Amarasekara (Fontana, Calif./Etiwanda HS) claimed the UCR Spring Classic Invitational heptathlon to earn the Big West Women’s Field Athlete of the Week award. The junior finished with a lifetime best of 5,074 points, while also setting a personal-best in the javelin during the competition. She won three events including the 200 meter, long jump and javelin and took second place in the hurdles and the high jump. Her score is a Big West best and ranks third-best in the NCAA.
Other’s nominated (Men’s Track): Alex Merder, (Cal Poly), Quinn Williams (UC Riverside)
Other’s nominated (Women’s Track): Kenady Jackson (UC Riverside), Astrid Rosvall (UC Santa Barbara), Raion Black (Hawai‘i)
Other’s nominated (Men’s Field): Will Smith (Cal Poly) Seth Enochs (UC Irvine), Tyler Nelson (UC Santa Barbara)
Other’s nominated (Women’s Field): Emily Hallett (Cal Poly), Nina Bean (Hawai‘i)