Nebraska and Oregon Earn Weekly Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Accolades
Huskers’ Lamberts and Ducks’ Graves-Blanks collect honors
ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week for the week of April 29-May 6, 2026.
Track Athlete of the Week
Kai Graves-Blanks, Oregon
Junior – Sprints/Hurdles – Upland, Calif. – Major: General Social Science
- Won the 110m Hurdles at the Desert Heat Classic with a personal-best finish of 13.28
- His time is best in the Big Ten and No. 5 in the NCAA
- Also ran the lead-off leg for 4x100m that posted a school record time of 38.59
- Oregon’s relay time is best in the Big Ten and second-best in the NCAA
- Rounded out his efforts with a personal-best of 20.59 in the 200m
- Last Oregon Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week award: Simeon Birnbaum (April 22, 2026)
Field Athlete & Freshman of the Week
Hencu Lamberts, Nebraska
Freshman – Throws – Pretoria, South Africa – Major: Management
- Won the shot put crown at the Desert Heat Classic with a mark of 20.18m (60-2 ½)
- His mark is a personal best, No. 3 in the Big Ten and No. 4 the NCAA
- It also ranks as the fifth best throw in program history
- Last Nebraska Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week award: Keyshawn Strachan (April 22, 2026)
- Lamberts’ third Outdoor Freshman of the Week award this season. Last (April 29, 2026)
2026 Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week
March 25
Track: Prior Ochonogor, IOWA
Field: Emmanuel Njoku, IOWA/Brian O’Sullivan, RU
Freshman: John Caleb, MINN
April 1
Track: Ajani Dwyer, PSU
Field: Racquil Broderick, USC
Freshman: Hencu Lamberts, NEB
April 8
Track: Simeon Birnbaum, ORE/Ajani Dwyer, PSU
Field: James Rhoads, WASH
Freshman: Ben Smith, ORE
April 15
Track: Samuel Vessat, PUR
Field: Ryan Johnson, IOWA/Keyshawn Strachan, NEB
Freshman: Quincy Isaac, MICH
April 22
Track: Simeon Birnbaum, ORE
Field: Ryan Johnson, IOWA/Keyshawn Strachan, NEB
Freshman: Ben Smith, ORE
April 29
Track: Miles Brown, MICH/Braxton Brann, OSU
Field: Sincere Robinson, RU
Freshman: Hencu Lamberts, NEB
May 6
Track: Kai Graves-Blanks, ORE
Field: Hencu Lamberts, NEB
Freshman: Hencu Lamberts, NEB