Baylor Track & Field: Lightfoot Named National Athlete of the Week

Tue Feb 18 14:20:09 CST 2020

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – February 18, 2020

Baylor Track & Field: Lightfoot Named National Athlete of the Week
Sophomore is the first Baylor athlete to ever win the award during the indoor season.

For more information contact: Kellen Coleman, 254-749-6507, Kellen_Coleman at baylor.edu<mailto:Kellen_Coleman at baylor.edu>

WACO, Texas – After reclaiming the top spot in the NCAA over the weekend, KC Lightfoot has been named National Athlete of the Week by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), announced Tuesday.

“That’s a tremendous honor for an outstanding young man,” head coach Todd Harbour said. “I’m excited to see what the rest of this season holds for him. With all the outstanding athletes that we’ve had through here the last couple years, for KC to be the first to win it speaks volumes to what he’s done. We’re very happy for him. Coach (Brandon) Richards has done a great job with him this year. They’ve done a great job together.”

Lightfoot won a battle of the No. 1 and No. 2-ranked pole vaulters in the NCAA by breaking his own school record with a mark of 19-1 ½ (5.83m) at the Iowa State Classic this past weekend in Ames, Iowa. The sophomore from Lee's Summit, Mo., defeated defending NCAA outdoor champion Chris Nilsen of South Dakota (18-6 ¾, 5.66m) with a school and facility-record mark to take over the No. 1 spot in the nation previously held by Nilsen.

“It’s an honor to receive this high-level award,” Lightfoot said. “Being the first Baylor athlete to get it adds to how prestigious the award is, knowing the great athletes we’ve had in the past. I’m glad my season is going well right now, and knowing that I have a lot to work on keeps me excited for the future.”

Lightfoot has now cleared 19 feet in three consecutive weeks, the first time someone has done so since Akron’s Shawn Barber accomplished the feat in 2015. Lightfoot is currently ranked No. 4 in the World and is tied for the No. 5 performer spot in collegiate history. He holds the top seven marks in Baylor history.

This is the first time that any athlete from Baylor (men’s or women’s) has been named National Athlete of the Week by the USTFCCCA during the indoor season. Lightfoot is the third Big 12 male athlete to win the award this season.

“What an incredible honor for KC and Baylor University,” pole vault coach Brandon Richards sad. “We are all so proud of KC and all of his accomplishments. We are humbled and gratified to receive such a rare award.”

National Athlete of the Week is an award selected and presented by the USTFCCCA Communications Staff at the beginning of each week to eight collegiate indoor track & field athletes (male and female for each of the three NCAA divisions as well as the NJCAA).

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 also play a role in the decision.

Lightfoot and the Bears will now prepare for the 2020 Big 12 Indoor Championship Feb. 28-29 at the Lied Recreation-Athletic Facility on the campus of Iowa State University. More information on the Big 12 meet can be found here<https://big12sports.com/tournaments/?id=763>.

For continued updates on the Baylor Track & Field team, follow the team's social media accounts all season long: @BaylorTrack.

__________________________________

Kellen Coleman | Associate Director of Communications
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
O: 254-710-4049 | C: 254-749-6507

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