The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Hock named USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week
05.06.2013 | Track & Field / Cross Country m, Track & Field / Cross Country
May 6, 2013
NEW ORLEANS - Texas freshman Johannes Hock won the decathlon in record-setting fashion at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships, helping the Longhorns claim their fifth title at the three-day meet at Baylor.
He was honored Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as the national athlete of the week.
Hock led from start to finish in the two-day decathlon, posting a meet-record 8,293 points, which is the top mark in the collegiate ranks this season, second best in school history, No. 2 in the world this year and seventh on the all-time collegiate list.
It was the best collegiate mark since Ashton Eaton, the 2012 Olympic champion, posted a meet-record 8,457 at the 2010 NCAA Championships.
"I felt like I could do well, but I'm really pleased with what turned out in the end." Hock said. "I knew my body was ready to do really well. After the 100 meters (on Friday) I felt I could really score big."
After posting the top mark in four of the five events on Friday's opening day, Hock followed that performance up by recording the best time in the 110-meter hurdles (14.86) and top marks in the discus (176-8/53.85m) and pole vault (15-4.50/4.69m) on Saturday.
The discus throw was a personal best, as was his time of 4:45.82 in the 1,500 meters, the final event of the competition. He finished eighth in the 1,500 to collect 644 points, but could have gone scoreless in that event and still won the meet.
Hock broke the Big 12 meet record (8,004) of Kansas State's Moritz Cleve set in 2009.
The only Texas decathlon mark better than Hock's was Trey Hardee's collegiate-record 8,465 set at the 2006 Texas Relays. Hardee was the silver medalist at the 2012 Olympics.
Hock became the sixth athlete, including third Longhorn, to sweep the multi-events at the Big 12 meets.
He tallied 5,858 points to win the heptathlon at the 2013 Big 12 Indoor Championships.
Ryan Crouser, who set a Big 12 meet and school record in the shot put, was an honorable mention choice for the USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week.
The sophomore entered the meet with the top mark in the nation (67-0.50/20.43m), but bettered that on three of his six attempts in cruising to the victory. His winning throw of 69-2 1/2 (21.09m) bested the field by more than seven inches and snapped Brian Robison's school record of 68-3 3/4 (20.82), set in 2006.
Couser, a two-time first team All-American, eclipsed the Big 12 meet record of 69-0 (21.03m) set by Christian Cantwell (Missouri) in 2003. Crouser's toss ranks No. 5 on the 2013 world performers list, according to Track and Field News.
The Horns are back in action May 23-25 when they serve as host to the NCAA West Preliminary Round.