The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Herron and Simon Named National Athletes of the Week
12.06.2022 | Track & Field / Cross Country
AUSTIN, Texas - Texas track and field swept the opening USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week awards after its season opener in Louisville.
Brian Herron earned his first-ever NCAA Division I Male National Athlete of the Week award after running the 500m in less than one minute at the Commonwealth College Opener on Saturday. Herron became the second person to ever run a sub-minute 500m dash with a time of 59.87. He narrowly missed the six-year world record time of 59.83, but now holds the American Record in the event.
This is the fourth time in program history that a male athlete has won the award during the indoor season. Herron joins two-time recipient Tripp Piperi and Ryan Crouser on the list.
Kennedy Simon made it a sweep for Texas in the national awards becoming the first Longhorn to earn the NCAA Division I Women's National Athlete of the Week since Julien Alfred in 2020. Simon became the second-fastest woman to run the 500m dash with her time of 1:08.59, just .20 seconds shy of the record.
Her time also broke the 35-year Texas program record set by Leslie Hardison in 1987 at 1:11.88.
The Longhorns return to Louisville for the Cardinal Classic on Jan. 13 – 14.
Players Mentioned
