TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN’S TRACK
Sergio Rios, Texas A&M University - Kingsville, JR, Brownsville, Texas, James Pace HS
Rios defended his 400-meter hurdle title at the LSU Relays last week winning it for the second straight year. He clocked a NCAA automatic qualifying 51.56 in the preliminaries, which is the top time in NCAA Division II this year. He won in the finals with a time of 52.01. He also ran the second leg on the 4x400-meter relay team that took third place and provisionally qualified for nationals with a time of 3:11.67.
MEN’S FIELD
Nick Jones, Abilene Christian University, SR, Amarillo, Texas, Tascosa HS
Jones began the 2012 outdoor season by recording a NCAA Championship automatic qualifying mark of 60 feet, 7.25 inches in the shot put to rank him first among all NCAA Division II student-athletes Jones recorded his throw at last weekend’s UT-Arlington Bobby Lane Invitational, finishing third to unattached competitors Kevin Bookout and Alex Adams. Jones, however, was first among all collegiate competitors, beating several athletes from TCU, UTA and North Texas. Jones will compete in the A section of both the shot put and discus at this week’s Texas Relays.
WOMEN’S TRACK
Theresa Sue, Angelo State University, JR, Ft. Worth, Texas, Saginaw HS
Sue ran her first NCAA Division II provisional mark of the season in the 400m hurdles at the Bobby Lane Invitational. The defending LSC Outdoor Champion set a new personal-best time of 1:01.78. She is ranked No. 8 in NCAA Division II and No. 1 in the Lone Star Conference.
WOMEN’S FIELD
Amanda Ouedraogo, Abilene Christian University, JR, Hauts de Seine, France, Descartes HS
Ouedraogo, the National indoor champion, posted a NCAA automatic qualifying triple jump distance of 40-10.50 (12.46m) at last weekend’s UT-Arlington Bobby Lane Invitational. Ouedraogo’s performance currently ranks second in NCAA DII to Kearah Danville of New Mexico Highlands, whose top-ranked jump is listed at 41-09.75 (12.74m). Ouedraogo is entered in Section A of the triple jump at this week’s Texas Relays.