DENVER ? Fresno State’s Tiera Hilliard and Louisiana Tech’s Nadia Alexander have been named the Western Athletic Conference Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week for the week of Mar. 24-30. This is the first career WAC Outdoor Athlete of the Week honor for both Hilliard and Alexander. This is the first season that honors for both “Track” and “Field” athletes will be awarded each week.
Hilliard, a freshman from Lakewood, Calif., (Mayfair), captured the 400-meter dash title over 33 competitors at the Cal-Nevada Championships in Fresno, Calif., clocking a personal-best time of 54.64, just .03 seconds shy of an NCAA regional qualifying time. Hilliard also anchored both the Bulldog 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams, earning third in both events.
Alexander, a junior from Kingston, Jamaica, (St. Hugh’s), won the shot put at the Mississippi State Bulldog Invitational in Starkville, Miss., with an NCAA regional qualifying throw of 51’ 3.5” (15.63m). Alexander’s shot put is the best in the WAC this season by over three feet.
Other Track nominees included: Monique Wright of Louisiana Tech earned a second-place finish in the 400-meter dash with a time of 56.72 at the Bulldog Invitational in Starkville, Miss.
Other Field nominees included: Brooke Pighin of Fresno State won the javelin at the Cal-Nevada Championships with a three-foot personal best and NCAA regional qualifying mark of 157’ 4” (47.91m) ... Inger Appanaitis of Nevada recorded an NCAA regional qualifying mark in the hammer throw (55.62m), finishing fourth at the Cal-Nevada Championships in Fresno, Calif., placing her fourth all-time in Wolf Pack history.
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