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<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><a name="_Hlk490052374"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – </span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">May
20, 2021</span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Baylor Track & Field: Nugent Named Big 12’s Top Freshman
</span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Jamaican hurdler is fourth Baylor woman named freshman of the year outdoors<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">WACO, Texas –
</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Ackera Nugent was named Big 12
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Women's Outstanding Freshman of the Year as the conference office announced its 2021 outdoor track & field honors Thursday afternoon.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">“This is a special honor for her,” head coach Todd Harbour said. “She’s had an incredible season, and it’s another great honor for her. It’s such
a great conference, and to be outstanding freshman speaks volumes to who she is and what she’s been able to do this year. We’re really proud for her.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Nugent is the fourth Baylor athlete to be named women’s outstanding freshman of the year outdoors and the first since Aaliyah Miller in 2018. Nugent was also the 2021 Big 12
Indoor Track & Field Women’s Outstanding Freshman of the Year, making her the second person in school history to sweep the two freshman awards (Nichole Jones, 2007).
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">“You will never always be motivated, so you must learn to be disciplined,” Nugent said. “I’m pleased that I was chosen to be freshman of the year once more, which shows that
there is consistency in my performance and I’m grateful for this opportunity.”</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Nugent made it to the podium three times at this past weekend’s Big 12 Outdoor Championship, finishing as the runner-up in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.07 and taking
seventh in the 100 meters with a time of 11.50 while running the second leg on the women’s 4x100-meter relay that took second with a time of 44.82.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The freshman from Kingston, Jamaica, ran her season-best mark of 12.87 in the 100-meter hurdles at the LSU Alumni Gold meet to rank third in the Big 12, 11th in the NCAA, and
22nd in the world. Nugent was named Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Week on May 12 after
<span style="color:black;background:white">pulling off the double win at the Aggie Invitational, recording times of 12.95 in the 100m hurdles and 11.21 in the 100 meters.</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">She is the reigning indoor National Champion in the 60-meter hurdles.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Nugent has been officially announced as a qualifier for the 2021 NCAA West Preliminary Championships, which will take place May 26-29 in College Station, Texas.
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The meet will be televised on the SEC Network+, and live results can be found at
<a href="https://dt8v5llb2dwhs.cloudfront.net/OutdoorRegionals/2021/West/index.htm">
NCAA Preliminary West Round</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">For continued updates on the Baylor Track & Field team, follow the team's social media accounts all season long: @BaylorTrack.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">2021 Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Awards</span></u></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Men’s Performer of the Year: </span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Wesley Kiptoo,
Iowa State**<br>
<b>Women’s Performer of the Year: </b>Kynnedy Flannel, Texas<br>
<b>Men’s Outstanding Freshman of the Year: </b>Yusuf Bizimana, Texas<br>
<b>Women’s Outstanding Freshman of the Year: </b><b>Ackera Nugent, Baylor</b></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:yellow"><br>
</span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Men’s Coach of the Year: </span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Edrick Floréal, Texas**<br>
<b>Women’s Coach of the Year: </b>Edrick Floréal, Texas</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:yellow"><br>
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><br>
<i>** Unanimous Selection</i><br>
<i>Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own student-athletes.</i></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Baylor Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Women's Outstanding Freshmen of the Year</span></u></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
</span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">2021: </span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Ackera Nugent<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">2018: Aaliyah Miller<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">2007: Nichole Jones<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">1997: Cecilia Jeverstam<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">__________________________________</span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:6.5pt;color:black"> </span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#154734">Kellen Coleman</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#18481F"> </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">|
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Associate Director of Communications</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Department of Athletics | Baylor University</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">O: 254-710-4049 | C: 254-749-6507</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span><a href="http://baylorbears.com/"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="153" height="43" style="width:1.5937in;height:.4479in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D74D89.7DCE9D70" alt="/var/folders/pf/02zg9swd0fz7qy7f5nkl4mymsr0bxx/T/com.microsoft.Outlook/WebArchiveCopyPasteTempFiles/cidimage004.png@01D50713.9CE40560"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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