The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Spencer named Big 12 Track and Field Athlete of the Week
05.07.2014 | Track & Field / Cross Country
Junior sprinter earns weekly award after posting two of the top 100 and 200-meter times in the nation at Saturday’s Longhorn Invitational
IRVING, Texas – Ashley Spencer was named the Big 12 Track and Field Female Athlete of the Week on Wednesday.
Spencer posted two of the top times in the nation at Saturday's Longhorn Invitational.
Competing in her first open 400 meters of the outdoor season, the two-time defending NCAA champion in the event clocked the second-fastest time in the nation by easily winning in 51.41 seconds.
A little more than one hour later, Spencer posted the top 200-meter time on the 2014 NCAA performers chart. The junior finished in a wind-aided (3.10 meters per second) 22.69, the top collegian in the 47-woman field. Only Olympic gold medalist Natasha Hastings had a faster time (22.55w), with each running in the opening heat.
This is the second-straight week Spencer has been involved with winning league's weekly award. Briana Nelson, Courtney Okolo, Kendall Baisden and Spencer combined to win last week after posting a national-leading (and fourth on the all-time collegiate list) 3:25.05 in the 4x400-meter relay at the Penn Relays.
The Longhorns have captured five Big 12 weekly awards during the outdoor season. Distance runner Marielle Hall was the top female athlete in the league on April 9, Okolo earned her first-career Big 12 Track and Field Athlete of the Week honor on April 16 and thrower Ryan Crouser shared the men's award on April 23.
Texas closed out the regular season Saturday and is next in action at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships, which is scheduled for Friday, May 16 through Sunday, May 18 in Lubbock, Texas.