Mettler, Spenner, Buell Named Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week
Mettler, Spenner, Buell Named Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week
ELMHURST, Ill. – South Dakota's Jeff Mettler was named The Summit League's Indoor Track and Field Men's Athlete of the Week, while Omaha's Sami Spenner and South Dakota's Bethany Buell were named the Women's Athletes of the Week, for their performances Feb. 5-11.
MEN'S ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Jeff Mettler, South Dakota
Jr. // Eureka, S.D.
Mettler captures Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week honors for the third time in his career and this season and for the second straight-week after winning the 3,000 meters at the Iowa State Classic. The Eureka, S.D., native won in a school-record and league-best time of 8:09.82 finishing ahead of runners from No. 8 Minnesota, No. 15 Wisconsin and No. 7 in the Midwest Region Iowa State.
Also nominated: Taylor Wardall, Kansas City; Jesse Morrow, North Dakota State; George O'Connor, Oakland; Trent Lusignan, South Dakota State; Michael Castel, Western Illinois.
Previous winners: Dec. 11 – Casey Orgon, NDSU; Dec. 18 – Niklas Rippon, OU; Jan. 8 – Kris Leverette, UMKC; Jan. 15 – Andy Lillejord, NDSU; Jan. 22 – Travis Fitzke, NDSU & Jeff Mettler, USD; Jan. 29 – Nathaniel Marshall, WIU; Feb. 5 – Jeff Mettler, USD.
WOMEN'S ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Sami Spenner, Omaha
Jr. // Columbus, Neb.
Spenner garners Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week honors for the fifth time in her career and this season, setting a new league record for awards in a season, after winning a pair of events at the Iowa State Classic. The junior won the long jump with a school-record and league-best mark of 20'5.25" (6.23m), marking the second time she has set a new UNO record this season. She also won the triple jump with a personal-best and league-leading distance of 41'10.5" (12.76m). Her long jump and triple jump marks would tie for ninth and rank 17th in the nation, respectively, however Omaha is not eligible for the NCAA Championships due to its Division I transition.
Bethany Buell, South Dakota
Jr. // St. Louis, Mo.
Buell earns the Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week award for the third-straight week and the third time in her career after winning the pole vault at the Iowa State Classic and setting the school record for the third consecutive week. The junior posted height of 14'2" (4.32m), finishing ahead of athletes from two Regionally ranked teams Minnesota, fifth in the Midwest and Wisconsin, eighth in the Great Lakes. Buell's height is a league-best and ranks fourth in the nation.
Also nominated: Courtney Frerichs, Kansas City; Paige Stratioti, North Dakota State; Brittni Hutton, Oakland; Shelby Assmus, South Dakota State; Dana LaRue, Western Illinois.
Previous winners: Dec. 11 – Sami Spenner, UNO; Dec. 18 – Katelynne Hartman, OU; Jan. 8 – Dahila Dyson, UMKC; Jan. 15 – Faith Kruchowski, NDSU & Sami Spenner, UNO; Jan. 22 – Brittni Hutton, OU & Sami Spenner, UNO; Jan. 29 – Sami Spenner, UNO & Bethany Buell, USD; Feb. 5 – Bethany Buell, USD.
ABOUT THE SUMMIT LEAGUE
Entering its fourth decade of Division I athletics, The Summit League offers 19 championship sports and has a combined enrollment of over 144,000 at nine universities, four of which are located in top 58 U.S. metro populations (Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City and Omaha). Member institutions include: Fort Wayne (Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne), IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis), Kansas City (University of Missouri-Kansas City), North Dakota State University, Oakland University, Omaha (University of Nebraska Omaha), the University of South Dakota, South Dakota State University and Western Illinois University. Previously known as the Mid-Continent Conference, The Summit League rebranded in 2007 and has since produced 54 All-Americans, 37 Academic All-America selections and seven NCAA Championships. For more information about the league and its history, visit www.thesummitleague.org to "See The Summit" or follow on Twitter @thesummitleague.
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