| Shana Cox won her second-consecutive Big Ten Athlete of the Week award on Tuesday following a tremendous performance at last weekend??s Sea Ray Relays |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.: April 17, 2007 ?C Junior Shana Cox (Westbury, N.Y.) and sophomore Ryan Fritz (Parkesburg, Pa.) have been named Big Ten Athletes of the Week, announced by conference offices on Tuesday. Cox garners the conference citation for the second-straight week and third time this year, while Fritz earns the award for the second time in 2007.
Cox put up a scorching 51.81 in the 400-meters to win the event at Sea Ray Relays in Knoxville, Tenn., last weekend. Cox??s season-best time is the fastest in the Big Ten this spring, as well as the third best in the NCAA, and sixth fastest in the world. Cox beat out some of the nation??s top quarter milers for the win, besting Mary Wineberg, last year??s Sea Rays winner, and former NCAA champ and Olympic gold medalist Dee Dee Trotter. The junior also ran legs on a pair of relays, finishing third in the 4x200-meters in 1:35.98, and seventh in the 4x100-meters in 46.27.
Thanks to her tremendous efforts, Cox was the recipient of the Tony Wilson Memorial Trophy. The award is presented to the most outstanding male and female athlete in both the running and field events at the prestigious Knoxville meet.
| Ryan Fritz was named Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week for the second time this year on Tuesday. |
Fritz continued to impress as well, finishing in a tie for second in the high jump with a clearance of 7-0.50 (2.15m), just one centimeter off his season-best and Big Ten leading mark of 7-1 (2.16m). Fritz and Louisville??s Tone Belt finished in a deadlock for second, and were the top collegiates in the competition.
Fritz nabbed All-America honors indoors, finishing fifth in the high jump. The sophomore also won his first career Big Ten title this past indoor season.
The Nittany Lions make the short trip to Lewisburg, Pa., this weekend for the Bucknell Heptagonal, scheduled for Saturday, April 21.