Illinois and Wisconsin Win Weekly Men’s Indoor Track and Field Awards
Illini’s Pelkmans and Badgers’ Hilby claim weekly honors
ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its Men’s Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week for the week of Jan. 21-28, 2026.
Track Athlete of the Week
Patrick Hilby, Wisconsin
Sophomore – Mid-distance – Aurora, Ill. – Finance, Investment and Banking
- Won the Penn Elite 800m event with a time of 1:47.36
- His time is best in the Big Ten and second-best in the NCAA this year
- It also is second best in Wisconsin program history
- Hilby also ran a leg of the Badgers’ 4x400m relay that finished in 3:10.83, the fifth-fastest time in the conference this year
- Last Wisconsin Indoor Track Athlete of the Week award: Adam Spencer (Feb. 14, 2024)
Freshman & Field Athlete of the Week
Luuk Pelkmans, Illinois
Freshman – Multi-event – Breda, Netherlands – Major: Business
- Broke the school record in his debut with a 6,127 point heptathlon
- His score (6,151 after flat track conversion) is the current NCAA lead for 2026
- Pelkmans’ 6,127 points are also the second most ever by a Dutch heptathlete all-time and the current No. 2 score in the world for 2026
- Last Illinois Indoor Field Athlete of the Week award: Jip de Greef (Jan. 29, 2025)
- This also marks Illinois’ first Indoor Freshman of the Week award
2025-26 Men’s Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week
Dec. 10
Track: Simeon Birnbaum, ORE
Field: Collin Burkhart, PSU
Freshman: Henry Risser, WIS
Dec. 17
Track: Blake Nyenati, IOWA
Field: James Rhoads, WASH
Freshman: Jordan Gross, IOWA
Jan. 14
Track: Trelee Banks, IND
Field: Ryan Johnson, IOWA
Freshman: Quincy Isaac, MICH
Jan. 21
Track: Garrett Kaalund, USC/Tyler Bilyard, WASH
Field: James Rhoads, WASH
Freshman: Jax Coleman, PUR
Jan. 28
Track: Patrick Hilby, WIS
Field: Luuk Pelkmans, ILL
Freshman: Luuk Pelkmans, ILL