The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Givans, Okolo named Big 12 Athletes of the Week
02.11.2015 | Track & Field / Cross Country
Sprinters notch victories for Longhorns
AUSTIN, Texas – Another successful weekend of action for Texas sprinters resulted in the Longhorns receiving two Big 12 Athlete of the Week awards.
Junior Courtney Okolo was named co-athlete of the week after she made her season debut in her primary event, winning the 400 meters at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic with a world-leading time of 51.35 seconds. Her time was nearly half a second faster the No. 2 time in the world this year as well.
Okolo also ran a personal best to finish second in the 200 meters. Her time of 23.45 puts her 11th on the NCAA performance list after being adjusted for altitude. She trailed only Texas Tech's Cierra White, who posted the No. 1 time of the season and shares this week's Big 12 award with Okolo. Okolo's time in the 200 also ranks 12th in the world this year.
Sophomore Senoj-Jay Givans was named the men's athlete of the week for the Big 12 thanks to his victory in the 60 meters.
With some of the top runners in the country competing at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic, the Longhorns were going to see top end sprinters in the 60 meters, and Givans left them all behind and came home with a victory.
Givans ran a personal best 6.62 seconds to edge out runners from Southeastern Conference power LSU at the finish line. His time also stands at No. 12 on the NCAA list this year. During prelims, Givans ran 6.69 seconds. Givans also ran 21.34 seconds to finish seventh in the 200 meters.
This weekend the Longhorns will send its distance runners to the Husky Classic hosted by Washington while the rest of the team takes on a handful of ranked teams at the Tyson Invitational hosted by the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Players Mentioned
