Walker's Pace: Rupp, Eaton Honored by USTFCCCA, USATF CEO Visits Eugene
Rupp, Eaton Honored by USTFCCCA, USATF CEO Visits Eugene
Tuesday, March 17, 5:00 p.m. PDT
It's not a surprise by any means, but an honor just the same.
In an alphabet soup of announcements on Tuesday, Galen Rupp and Ashton Eaton have been named the men's track and the men's field athlete of the year, respectively, by the USTFCCCA. Rupp was also names the USATF athlete of the week. Parts of the releases are pasted below, or just follow these links to each web site: www.USTFCCCA.com or www.USATF.org.
Also, another very exciting bit of news to pass along for local track fans: new USATF CEO Doug Logan is going to be in Eugene Wednesday morning for a 10 a.m. press conference at the Boweman Building to talk about the 2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which will be held June 25-28 at Historic Hayward Field.
USTFCCCA Press Release
Four Honored as Division I National Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Year
NEW
ORLEANS ? The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches
Association (USTFCCCA) announced the NCAA Division I National Indoor
Track and Field Athletes of the Year. Two men and two women received
the annual honor as voted by Division I coaches following the NCAA
Division I Indoor Championships.
Those honored were Women's
Track Athlete of the Year, Jenny Barringer; Women’s Field Athlete of
the Year, Destinee Hooker; Men's Track Athlete of the Year, Galen Rupp;
and the Men's Field Athlete of the Year, Ashton Eaton.
All of
the student-athletes honored won individual championships at the
Division I Indoor Track and Field National Championship meet.
Galen Rupp ? University of Oregon
Rupp,
a senior who had never won an NCAA Indoor track and field title before
in his career, now has three. The standout distance runner completed a
rare sweep as he won the 3k, the 5k, and anchored the winning distance
medley relay team. His 22.5 points would have tied Rupp for 10th in the
team standings. Rupp now owns 12 career All-American honors, becoming
the most decorated student-athlete in Oregon history. Earlier this
indoor season, Rupp broke the men’s American Record in the 5,000
(13:18.12) and ran to an all-time American Collegiate Best in the 3,000
(7:44.69).
Ashton Eaton ? University of Oregon
Eaton, a
junior, helped Oregon secure its first indoor track and field title
with his win in the men’s heptathlon. The Bend, Oregon native finished
the two day competition with 5,988 points, the second-highest
heptathlon total of his career. He started the competition in fine
fashion running a new personal best in the 60 meter hurdles (7.90) and
clearing a personal indoor best in the pole vault (16’8.35”). Eaton
entered the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships with a heptathlon
score of 6,174 points, the second highest total ever by a collegiate in
the event.
USATF Press Release
Rupp named Athlete of the Week
INDIANAPOLIS - Galen Rupp has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after winning two individual titles and anchoring the men's distance medley relay to victory at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships
A 2008 Olympian, Rupp led the Oregon men to the their first indoor national team title and became the first person in NCAA history to win the 5,000 meters, 3,000m and the distance medley relay in the same championship. Rupp started with a win in the 5,000m in 13 minutes 41.45 seconds. Less than 90 minutes later, he anchored the DMR to victory, splitting 3:57.07 over the final 1,600m to cross the line in 9:29.59. On Saturday Rupp cruised to a title in the 3,000m, winning in 7:48.94, more than 5 seconds ahead of the field.
Now in its eighth year, USATF's Athlete of the Week program is designed to recognize outstanding performers at all levels of the sport. USATF names a new honoree each week and features the athlete on the USATF website. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week.
2009 USATF Athlete of the Week Winners: January 6, Mason Finley; January 13, Amber Campbell; January 20, Josh Cox; January 27, German Fernandez; February 3, Ashton Eaton; February 10, Shalane Flanagan; February 17, Galen Rupp; February 25, Dexter Faulk; March 3, Terrence Trammell; March 10, Diana Pickler; March 17, Galen Rupp.
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