DENVER ?“ Boise State?™s Forest Braden and Idaho?™s Dee Olson have been named the Xbox Live Western Athletic Conference men?™s and women?™s Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week, respectively.
Braden, a senior from Bonners Ferry, Idaho, posted a NCAA automatic qualifying time in the 5,000-meter run, and in the process smashed the Bronco record in the event with a time of 13:47.73 at the Husky Classic in Seattle. Braden broke the school record of 14:08.76 set by Jose Uribe in 1997. He also smashed his previous best time which was 14:12.23 set last season. He finished seventh in the race which saw 10 runners surpass the automatic qualifying standard.
Olson, a sophomore from Estacada, Ore, finished third in the mile and was the first collegiate finisher at the Husky Classic with a personal best and NCAA provisional qualifying time of 4:41.23. She also ran the final leg of the Distance Medley relay team that finished second and broke the Idaho school record with a time of 11:35.32. The previous Idaho record in the event was 11:47.70.
Other Men Nominated: Matthew Wauters, Idaho; Sheldon Williams, Louisiana Tech and Seth Wold, Utah State.
Other Women Nominated: Eleni Kafourou, Boise State; Novelle Murray, Hawai'i; Latonia Wilson, Louisiana Tech; Kali Baker, Nevada; Erin Streater, New Mexico State and Jill Steele, Utah State.