Iowa, Minnesota and Oregon Claim Weekly Women’s Indoor Track and Field Awards

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its Women’s Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week for the week of Feb 5-12, 2025.  

Track Athlete of the Week  
Wilma Nielsen, Oregon 
Junior – Distance – Gothenburg, Sweden – Major: Advertising and Brand Responsibility 

• Posted a 4:25.78-mile time, the fourth-best time in collegiate history
• Nielsen now owns the fourth and fifth-fastest mile times in collegiate history
• Finished ninth at the 117^th Millrose Games and was the only collegian athlete in the field
• Her mile time is currently ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten and No. 2 in the NCAA
• Nielsen’s second Indoor Track Athlete of the Week. Last: Jan. 29, 2025 

Field Athlete of the Week 
Anthonett Nabwe, Minnesota 
RS-Sophomore – Throws – Jamestown, N.D. – Major: Kinesiology 

• Won the Gopher Classic with a season best throw of 23.21m (76-1 ¾)
• Her mark is No. 2 in the NCAA and No. 1 in the Big Ten
• Nabwe is the only Big Ten weight thrower to eclipse 23 meters in the event
• Also earned a victory in shot put with a toss of 16.83m (55-2 ¾)
• She is the only Big Ten thrower to be ranked inside the conference’s top eight in both weight throw and shot put
• Nabwe’s third Indoor Field Athlete of the Week. Last: Jan. 15, 2025 
   

Freshman of the Week 
Chioma Nwachukwu, Iowa 
Freshman – Sprints – Asaba, Nigeria – Major: Sport and Recreation Management 

• Finished the 400-meter run with a personal best time of 52.46 to finish third at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic
• Nwachukwu’s 400-meter time ranks fourth all-time at Iowa and she currently has the best time for a freshman in the country
• She was also part of the 4x400 relay team that broke the Iowa all-time record with a time of 3:30.42
• Last Iowa Indoor Freshman of the Week: Damaris Mutunga, IOWA (Feb. 5, 2025) 
   

2024-25 Women’s Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week 

Dec. 11 
Track: Silan Ayyildiz, ORE 
Field: Anthonett Nabwe, MINN 
Freshman:  Simone Cooper, MD 

Dec. 18 
Track: Zoe Sullivan, PUR 
Field: Jenna Rogers, NEB 
Field: Daniela Wamokpego, IOWA 
Freshman: Pauline Bikembo, IOWA 

Jan. 15 
Track: Zoe Sullivan, PUR 
Field: Tacoria Humphrey, ILL 
Field: Anthonett Nabwe, MINN 
Freshman: Abigail Russell, MICH 

Jan. 22 
Track: Hayley Kitching, PSU 
Field: Rose Yeboah, ILL 
Freshman: Chioma Nwachukwu, IOWA 

Jan. 29 
Track: Wilma Nielsen, ORE 
Field: Tori Thomas, ILL 
Freshman: Lucie Kenast, ILL 

Feb. 5 
Track: Hayley Kitching, PSU 
Field: Chloe Timberg, RU 
Freshman: Damaris Mutunga, IOWA 

Feb. 12 
Track: Wilma Nielsen, ORE 
Field: Anthonett Nabwe, MINN 
Freshman: Chioma Nwachukwu, IOWA