Five From Washington University Selected UAA Athletes of the Week
St. Louis, Mo., April 17, 2012 – Washington University in St. Louis had five student-athletes earn University Athletic Association (UAA) Athlete of the Week honors, as announced by the Association.
Freshman Nicholas Alaniva, seniors Erica Jackey and Tyler Jackson and sophomore Jasmine Williams of the men’s and women’s track & field teams, and senior pitcher Olivia Cook of the softball team each received the honor.
Alaniva earned UAA Men’s Track & Field Athlete of the Week honors after winning the men’s pole vault and finishing second in the long jump at the Saint Louis University Invitational. He cleared 4.20 meters to win the pole vault, and recorded a season-best mark of 6.36m to place second in the long jump. Alaniva also competed in the 100, 200 and 400 relay for Washington University at the meet.
Cook was named the UAA Softball Athlete of the Week for the second time this season after tossing two complete-game shutouts last week. She went 2-0 with a 0.00 earned run average in wins at Principia College on Tuesday and Webster University on Sunday. Cook allowed three hits and struck out four in a 15-0 five-inning win at Principia, and followed that up with a three-hit shutout in a 4-0 victory at Webster. She has an 11-6 overall record with a 2.00 ERA in 112.0 innings this season.
Jackey broke the Washington University school record in the women’s 1,500 meters to earn her fifth UAA Women’s Track & Field Athlete of the Week honor this season. She ran the fastest time in NCAA Division III this season (4:27.73) to finish as the runner-up in the event at the Saint Louis University Invitational. Jackey’s time bettered the previous school record by .37 of a second. She also added a second-place finish in the 800 with the sixth-fastest time in Division III (2:12.34).
Jackson received UAA Men’s Track & Field Athlete of the Week accolades for the fifth time this season after clocking a season-best time in the 110 hurdles at the Saint Louis University Invitational. He finished third in a time of 14.39, which ranks third on the Division III performance list this season. Jackson placed third at the meet behind an unattached runner and a runner from NCAA Division I Saint Louis University.
Williams cleared a career-best height to finish second in the women’s high jump and earn UAA Women’s Track & Field Athlete of the Week honors for the fifth time this season. Her clearance of 1.67m earned second place at the Saint Louis University Invitational, and ranks tied for second all-time at Washington University. Williams ranks 11th on the Division III performance list this season with the mark. She also had a season-best leap of 5.16m to finish fifth in the long jump at the meet.