South Dakota’s Lewin, Omaha’s Spenner Garner Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week Honors
South Dakota’s Lewin, Omaha’s Spenner Garner Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week Honors
ELMHURST, Ill. – South Dakota's Teivaskie Lewin and Omaha's Sami Spenner were named The Summit League's Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week for their performances Jan. 28-Feb. 3.
MEN'S ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Teivaskie Lewin, South Dakota
So. // Montego Bay, Jamaica
Lewin collects his first career Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week award after winning the 60-meter hurdles at the Bill Bergan Invitational. The sophomore crossed the finish line in a league-best time of 7.95, tying for the 39th-fastest time in nationally.
Also nominated: Ryan Cutter, IUPUI; Brandt Berghuis, North Dakota State; Joel Reichow, South Dakota State; Davin Dollison, Western Illinois.
Previous honorees: 12/10 – Andy Lillejord, North Dakota State; 12/17 – No award given; 1/14 – Ryan Cutter, IUPUI; 1/21 – Mubarik Musa, South Dakota; 1/28 – Andy Lillejord, North Dakota State.
WOMEN'S ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Sami Spenner, Omaha
Sr. // Columbus, Neb.
Spenner earns her league-record eighth career Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week honor and second of the season after posting the third-best pentathlon score in the world and the top score in the U.S. this season according to the International Association of Athletics Federations' rankings. The senior won the pentathlon, sweeping all five events, at the Jack Jennett Invitational with a school-record 4,406 points, which also included a school-record leap in the long jump (20'09"/6.32m). Spenner's pentathlon score is the top collegiate mark in the nation by over 1,000 points and ranks sixth on the all-time collegiate top-10 performances as she became the sixth collegiate woman in history to surpass 4,400 points. She also won the triple jump (40'6.25"/12.35m) at the meet. Her pentathlon score would rank first on the NCAA Division I performance list and her long jump mark would be sixth, however Omaha is not eligible for the NCAA Championships due to its Division I transition. The Columbus, Neb., native currently ranks in the league's top-10 in seven events, including first in the 60 meters, 60-meter hurdles, long jump, triple jump and pentathlon. She was also named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division I Women's Athlete of the Week.
Also nominated: Kayla Zink, Fort Wayne; Savannah Turner, IUPUI; Paige Stratioti, North Dakota State; Emily Grove, South Dakota; Mary Wirth, South Dakota State; Chelsea Lynes, Western Illinois.
Previous honorees: 12/10 – Jenny Guibert, North Dakota State; 12/17 – Sami Spenner, Omaha; 1/14 – Brittany Beard, Fort Wayne; 1/21 – Megan Glisar, South Dakota; 1/28 – Megan Glisar, South Dakota.
ABOUT THE SUMMIT LEAGUE
In its fourth decade of Division I athletics, The Summit League offers 19 championship sports and has a combined enrollment of over 120,000 at eight institutions, including three located in top 60 U.S. metro populations and two land-grant universities. Member institutions include: Denver (University of Denver), Fort Wayne (Indiana University-Purdue University-Fort Wayne), IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis), North Dakota State 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 eight NCAA Champions, 62 All-Americans and 50 Academic All-America selections.
Follow The Summit League on Twitter @thesummitleague, @summithoops and @summitchamps
#thesummitleague
