NCAA & NJCAA OTF National Athletes of the Week (April 13)
NEW ORLEANS – National Athletes of the Week for April 13 were announced on Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Here are those individuals who earned national honors from the USTFCCCA for their efforts during the continuing outdoor track & field season.
- NCAA Division I Men – Karel Tilga, Georgia
- NCAA Division I Women – Ruth Usoro, Texas Tech
- NCAA Division II Men – Brett Thompson, Pittsburg State
- NCAA Division II Women – Zada Swoopes, West Texas A&M
- NCAA Division III Men – Noah Zastrow, UW-Stout
- NCAA Division III Women – Esther Seeland, Messiah
- NJCAA Division I Men – Courtney Lawrence, Cloud County CC
- NJCAA Division I Women – Deisiane Teixeira, Highland CC
- NJCAA Division III Men – Grant Bunyard, Howard CC
- NJCAA Division III Women – Cassidy Bunyard, Howard CC
Find out more about each of these athletes by clicking their names or scrolling below.
National Athlete of the Week is an award selected and presented by the USTFCCCA Communications Staff at the beginning of each week to 10 collegiate indoor track & field athletes, when applicable (male and female for each of the three NCAA divisions and the NJCAA).
Nominations are open to the public. Coaches and sports information directors are encouraged to nominate their student-athletes; as are student-athletes, their families and friends, and fans of their programs. Nominated athletes are noticed before those athletes found through searching TFRRS.
The award seeks to highlight not only the very best times, marks and scores on a week-to-week basis, but also performances that were significant on the national landscape and/or the latest in a series of strong outings. Quality of competition, suspenseful finishes and other factors will also play a role in the decision.
NCAA DIVISION I MEN – Karel Tilga, Georgia
Junior | Combined Events
Tartu, Estonia
Georgia has had an incredible history of decathletes in recent memory.
Karel Tilga just shot to the top of the list this past weekend at the Spec Towns National Team Invitational and nearly topped the all-time collegiate chart in the multi, as well.
Tilga totaled 8484 points over the two-day affair, notching the second-best total in collegiate history behind Lindon Victor’s all-time best of 8539.
After putting up 4355 points in Day 1, Tilga registered 4129 more on Day 2. It turned out to be a balanced effort for Tilga, who only tallied more than 900 points in one event (long jump), but scored 800 or more in nine of the 10 (Tilga closed out the multi with 765 in the 1500 – 4:26.95).
Georgia athletes now comprise four of the top-8 spots on the all-time performers list in the decathlon: Karel Tilga is No. 2, followed by Maicel Uibo at No. 6, Johannes Erm at No. 7 and Devon Williams at No. 8.
This is the first time since 2017 that a male athlete from Georgia has been named National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season (Devon Williams).
NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Ruth Usoro, Texas Tech
Junior | Horizontal Jumps
Akwa Ibom, Nigeria
The all-time collegiate triple jump chart isn’t safe around Ruth Usoro.
Usoro bounded to the third-best mark in collegiate history on Saturday at the Masked Rider Open. With a 2.0 m/s wind at her back – the strongest allowable for record purposes – Usoro landed at 14.50m (47-7), which made her the No. 2 performer in collegiate history behind Keturah Orji.
If that sounds like deja vu, it’s because it should: Usoro became the No. 2 performer in collegiate indoor history behind Orji earlier this year.
This is the first time since 2016 that a female athlete from Texas Tech has been named National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season (Hannah Carson).
NCAA DIVISION II MEN – Brett Thompson, Pittsburg State
Senior | Throws
Erie, Kansas
Another week, another PR and another honor for Brett Thompson.
After becoming the No. 7 performer in NCAA Division II history a week ago, Thompson unleashed another PR throw of 76.65m (251-6) to become the No. 3 performer all-time with the third-best mark in divisional history. Only two men have thrown farther than him – Kirt Thompson of Ashland and Cody Parker of Alaska Anchorage.
Thompson’s second attempt of 75.24m (246-10) clinched the win at the 13th Annual David Suenram Gorilla Classic, but that wasn’t enough for him, as he surpassed that mark with his winning throw on his fifth attempt of the competition. Thompson’s final throw of 74.48m (244-4) gave him three throws over his previous PR set a week ago, and the top-4 throws in the division this year.
This is the second consecutive National Athlete of the Week honor for Thompson.
NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Zada Swoopes, West Texas A&M
Senior | Throws
Whitewright, Texas
Zada Swoopes has entered rare territory.
The senior from Whitewright, Texas became the No. 2 performer all-time in the shot put following her outing at the Masked Rider Open. Swoopes opened up the competition with a monster throw of 17.45m (57-3) to win by more than four feet. Her throw is also the sixth best mark in NCAA Division II history and the best since 2003. The only thrower better than Swoopes in the shot put? Adriane Blewitt of Ashland.
Swoopes also cracked the all-time list in the discus, as her effort of 56.10m (184-1) makes her No. 10 in NCAA DII history.
This is the second time this outdoor season Swoopes has been named National Athlete of the Week, previously earning the honor on March 23.
NCAA DIVISION III MEN – Noah Zastrow, UW-Stout
Senior | Jumps
Spencer, Wisconsin
Noah Zastrow left his mark on the indoor record book.
Now, Zastrow wants to do the same to the outdoor version.
Zastrow, competing at the Falcon Invitational this past weekend, topped 5.32m (17-5½) to become the No. 10 performer in NCAA DIII history. He only attempted four heights during the meet, needing two tries to get over his 5.00m (16-4¾) opener, cleared 5.20m (17-0¾) and 5.32m on his first go-round and then missed three times at 5.42m (17-9¼).
This is the first time since 2018 that a male athlete from UW-Stout has been named National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season (Sam Elsner).
NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Esther Seeland, Messiah
Junior | Mid-Distance
State College, Pennsylvania
Esther Seeland is finding her groove.
Seeland, competing at the Messiah Multi/Invitational, bettered her national lead in the 800 to 2:07.72 and posted an NCAA DIII-leading mark in the 1500 of 4:27.39. She has nearly four full seconds on the rest of the field in the 800 and almost one full second on former National Athlete of the Week Parley Hannan of Ithaca, who previously owned the NCAA DIII 1500 chart-topper.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from Messiah has been named National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season.
NJCAA DIVISION I MEN – Courtney Lawrence, Cloud County CC
Sophomore | Throws
Petersfield, Jamaica
Courtney Lawrence wants his name in the outdoor record book, too.
Lawrence, competing at the Friends University Spring Open, launched the weighted orb 18.42m (60-5¼) to become the ninth-best performer in NJCAA history. That mark also gives Lawrence the 12th-best performance in NJCAA history and the second-best effort this season divisionaly.
This is the first time in program history that a male athlete from Cloud County CC has been named National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season.
NJCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Deisiane Teixeira, Highland CC
Sophomore | Throws
Brazil
Deisiane Teixeira is distancing herself from the rest of the pack.
Teixeira, competing at the Wichita State Open this past weekend, bettered her NJCAA all-time best in the javelin to 50.17m (164-7) and earned the event crown against a number of athletes from NCAA DI programs. Her record effort came on the final attempt of the competition.
This is the second time this season that Teixeira has been named National Athlete of the Week. She previously earned the honor after originally breaking the NJCAA record.
NJCAA DIVISION III MEN – Grant Bunyard, Howard CC
Sophomore | Combined Events
Columbia, Maryland
Grant Bunyard turned one decathlon into a plethora of NJCAA DIII top-5 marks.
Bunyard, competing at the Mount Invitational, won the multi with an NJCAA DIII-leading 5908 points. During that 10-event stretch, Bunyard also registered division-topping marks in the 110H (17.50), long jump (6.29m/20-7¾) and javelin (44.72m/146-9) and is ranked second or third in the 100, 400, high jump, pole vault, shot put and discus.
This is the first time since 2017 that a male athlete from Howard CC has been named National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season.
NJCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Cassidy Bunyard, Howard CC
Freshman | Combined Events
Columbia, Maryland
Cassidy Bunyard made expert use of a heptathlon.
Bunyard, competing at the Mount Invitational, took over the NJCAA DIII lead in three events – 200 (27.07), high jump (1.66m/5-5.25) and heptathlon (3570) – while also notching top-5 marks in several others within the confines of the multi.
This is the first time since 2017 that a female athlete from Howard CC has been named National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season.
