For Immediate Release // Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Contact // Natalia Ciccone (nciccone@pac-12.org)

Web Release

Pac-12 Outdoor Track & Field Athletes of the Week

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- The Pac-12 Conference outdoor track and field athlete of the week honors for the week of April 9-15, 2012:

MenÂ’s Track Athlete of the Week: TYLER STUTZMAN, STANFORD (Jr., Charlottesville, Va.). Stutzman won both the 800 and 1,500 meters at the Big Meet, helping the Cardinal to a convincing dual-meet victory over Bay Area-rival California. Stutzman posted a time of 1:50.50 to win the 800-meter race and won the 1,500 meter even with a time of 3:48.64.

WomenÂ’s Track Athlete of the Week: TURQUOISE THOMPSON, UCLA (Jr., Lakewood, Calif.). Competing in her first individual meet of the 2012 season, Thompson made a statement in the open 400m at the Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner Kersee Invitational finishing second overall and was the top-collegiate finisher in the one-lap event with a new lifetime-best mark of 52.73. That time moves her to ninth in the NCAA this season, despite it not being her primary event. Thompson also ran on the 4x400m relay team that finished second (3:41.55) to the Bobby Kersee All-Stars team that featured several Olympians, including Allyson Felix.

MenÂ’s Field Athlete of the Week: ALEC FALDERMEYER, UCLA (So., New Hampton, N.Y.). The three-time sophomore All-American continued his unbeaten streak recording his fourth-consecutive meet win in the hammer throw. He needed just one throw to beat the competition at the Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner Kersee Invitational after posting a mark of 217-3 on his opening attempt. He continues to rank fourth in the nation and is the top hammer throw in the Pac-12 this season.

WomenÂ’s Field Athlete of the Week: BRIANNA BAIN, STANFORD (Fr., Beaverton, Ore.). Bain won the javelin at the Big Meet tossing 171-2 (52.17) to help the Cardinal post a convincing defeat over Bay Area-rival California. BainÂ’s throw ranks fifth in the nation this season and is the third-best in Stanford history.

2012 Pac-12 Track & Field Athletes of the Week

MenÂ’s Track: April 10 - Stephen Sambu, ARIZ; April 17 - Tyler Stutzman, STAN.

WomenÂ’s Track: April 10 - Alex Kosinski, ORE; Turquoise Thompson, UCLA.

MenÂ’s Field: April 10 - Chris Benard, ASU; Alec Faldermeyer, UCLA.

WomenÂ’s Field: April 10 - Brigetta Barrett, ARIZ; Brianna Bain, STAN.

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