Illinois and Oregon Claim Weekly Women’s Indoor Track and Field Merits

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its Women’s Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week for the week of Jan. 21-28, 2026.  

Track Athlete of the Week  
Wilma Nielsen, Oregon 
Senior – Distance – Gothenburg, Sweden – Major: M.S. Management 

• Nielsen won the mile at the Dr. Sander Scorcher in New York with a time of 4:26.74 
• Her time leads the Big Ten, and is second best in the NCAA and world rankings 
• The senior beat a field that included nine professional athletes  
• She also won USTFCCCA Athlete of the Week honors on Monday 
• Last Oregon Indoor Track Athlete of the Week award: Silan Ayyildiz (Feb. 19, 2025) 

Freshman & Field Athlete of the Week 
Romi Tamir, Illinois 
Freshman – Triple Jump – Israel – Major: Undeclared 

• Recorded a 13.50m (44-3 ½) jump to win the Fighting Illini Challenge 
• Her mark was an UI Armory facility record which broke Yvonne Mensah’s 19-year-old record of 13.30m (43-7 ¾) set back in 2007 
• Current No. 2 triple jump in the NCAA for 2026 and is also the second-best triple jump in program history and the current No. 11 triple jump in the world for 2026 
• Last Illinois Indoor Field Athlete of the Week award: Sophia Beckmon (Jan. 14, 2026) 
• Last Illinois Indoor Freshman of the Week award: Lucie Kienast (Jan. 29, 2025) 

2025-26 Women’s Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week 

Dec. 10 
Track: Tayissa Buchanan, PSU 
Field: Anthonett Nabwe, MINN 
Freshman:  Diana Cherotich, ORE 

Dec. 17 
Track: Dymonde Nave, IOWA 
Field: Axelina Johansson, NEB 
Freshman:  Izzy Zahn, IOWA 

Jan. 14 
Track: Aniya Mosley, OSU 
Field: Sophia Beckmon, ILL 
Freshman: Caila Lyons, Iowa/Zeal Kuku, MINN 

Jan. 21 
Track: Hayler Kitching, PSU/Chloe Foerster, WASH 
Field: Anthonett Nabwe, MINN 
Freshman: Emmry Ross, MICH 

Jan. 28 
Track: Wilma Nielsen, ORE 
Field: Romi Tamir, ILL 
Freshman: Romi Tamir, ILL