DENVER ? Idaho’s Russ Winger and Louisiana Tech’s Nina Gilbert have been named the Western Athletic Conference men’s and women’s Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week, respectively.
Winger, a senior from Colorado Springs, Colo. (Pine Creek HS), won the shot put at the Washington State University Open in Pullman, Wash., last Saturday, Jan. 20, with a meet record and NCAA automatic qualifying mark of 63-5 1/2. On Friday, Jan. 19, he finished second in the weight throw with a NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 65-1 1/2. That throw was also a five-foot improvement on his previous personal best in the event. Winger debuted the indoor season ranked no. 4 in the shot put on the Trackwire.com Dandy Dozen.
Gilbert, a senior from Houston, Texas, broke a school record in the women’s 400-meters at the Razorback Invite in Fayetteville, Ark., last weekend with a time of 53.29 seconds, currently ranking her second in the nation. Gilbert also took part on the 4x400 relay team that won with a mark of 3:37.41, which is currently ranked fifth in the nation.
Other Men Nominated: Zacharies Arnos, Boise State; Lamar Brown, Utah State.
Other Women Nominated: Eleni Kafourou, Boise State; Jere Summers, Cal State Northridge; Heather Bergland, Idaho; Amber Peterson, Utah State.
-WAC-