DENVER – Idaho’s Lauren Schaffer and Mykael Bothum were named the Verizon Wireless Western Athletic Conference Women’s Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week, respectively, for the week of February 1-7.
Schaffer, a sophomore from Boise, Idaho (Timberline HS), ran a career-best 2:11.77 to defend her 800-meter title at the Vandal Indoor on Friday night. The mark puts the sophomore in the top-five all-time at Idaho indoors in the event. It is also the best in the conference by nearly a four-second margin. She followed it up on Saturday at the Runners Soul Open by running a career-best 58.62 in the women’s 400m and finishing fourth.
Bothum, a senior from Hermiston, Ore. (Hermiston HS), had a huge performance at the Vandal Indoor on Friday. On her second attempt of the women’s shot put, she unleashed a school-record throw of 16.88m (55-4.75) to win the title and break her own former record by four inches. The throw puts her at fourth nationally in the event and first in the WAC by more than six feet. She missed the NCAA Automatic qualifying standard by just three-quarters of an inch.
Other track nominees included: Boise State’s Raquel Jones, Fresno State’s Roxanne Sellick, New Mexico State’s Camille Schultz, Nevada’s Gina Deckard and Utah State’s Ashlee Cannon.
Other field nominees included: Boise State’s Mele Vaisima, Fresno State’s Rosario Sanchez, Nevada’s Alicia Echaverria and Utah State’s Spela Hus.
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