Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio State and Penn State Gather Weekly Honors

Men’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week

Olivier Desmeules, Penn State

Sr. – Quebec City, Quebec, Canada – Ecole secondaire de Donnacona – Major: Economics

• Won the 800 meters with a time of 1:47.40 at the Penn State National Open

• His time ranks first in the Big Ten and eighth in the country

• Won the 600 meter run with a time of 1:16.23

• Ranks first in the Big Ten, third in the nation, and third in the Penn State record books

• Earns his third career Big Ten Men’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week

• Last Penn State Men’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week: Cheickna Traore (Jan. 17, 2024)

Men’s Indoor Co-Field Athlete of the Week

Aiden Ouimet, Illinois

Sr. – Chicago, Ill. – St. Ignatius College Prep – Masters: Human Resources and Industrial Relations

• Placed second in the heptathlon and broke the school record with 5,985 points

• Ranks first in the Big Ten and second in the nation

• Earns his first career Big Ten Men’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week

• Last Illinois Men’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week: Kam Garrett (Jan. 10, 2024)

Men’s Indoor Co-Field Athlete of the Week

Hayden Tobias, Ohio State

Sr. – Fishers, Ind. – Fishers – Major: Chemistry 

• Won the shot put title with a mark of 19.86 meters at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invite

• The mark broke the previous meet record

• Ranks first in the Big Ten and third in the country

• Finished sixth in the weight throw

• Earns his second career Big Ten Men’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week

• Last Ohio State Men’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week: Hayden Tobias (Feb. 15, 2023)

Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week

Hayley Kitching, Penn State

So. – Coffs Harbour, Australia – Coffs Harbour – Major: Division of Undergraduate Studies

• Won the 800 meter with a school record breaking time of 2:01.77 at the Penn State National Open

• Became the first Penn State woman to break 2:02 in the 800 meter run

• Helped the distance medley team to a school record breaking time of 10:56.26

• The group became the first women’s DMR team at Penn State to break 11:00

• They now rank first in the Big Ten and fifth nationally

• Kitching has broken three school records and set multiple top-ten times in the nation in the past two weeks of competition

• Earns her second Big Ten Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week this season

• Last Penn State Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week: Hayley Kitching (Jan. 24, 2024)

Women’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week

Shelby Frank, Minnesota

Sr. – Grand Forks, N.D. – Red Rivers – Major: Health Sciences

• Won the weight throw title with a mark of 23.36 meters at the Jack Johnson Classic

• Her season-best throw now ranks first in the Big Ten and third in the NCAA

• Earns her fifth career Big Ten Women’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week

• Last Minnesota Women’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week: Shelby Frank (Feb. 24, 2023)

2023-24 Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Athletes of the Week

Dec. 13

Men’s

T: Kalen Walker, IOWA

F: Sean Smith, IOWA

Women’s

T: Paige Magee, IOWA

F: Daniela Martine Wamakpego, IOWA

Jan. 10

Men’s

T: None

F: Kam Garrett, ILL

Women’s

T: None

F: Tori Thomas, ILL 

Jan. 17

Men’s

T: Cheickna Traore, PSU

F: Henry Zimmerman, NEB

Women’s

T: Kenisha Phillips, IND

F: Darja Sopova, ILL

Jan. 24

Men’s

T: Cameron Miller, PUR

F: Sal Capaldo, IOWA

F: Henry Zimmerman, NEB

Women’s

T: Paige Magee, IOWA

T: Hayley Kitching, PSU

F: Chloe Timberg, RU

Jan. 24

Men’s

T: Olivier Desmeules, PSU

F: Aiden Ouimet, ILL

F: Hayden Tobias, OSU

Women’s

T: Hayley Kitching, PSU

F: Shelby Frank, MINN