Illinois and Oregon Net Weekly Women’s Indoor Track and Field Honors

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its Women’s Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week for the week of Jan 22-29, 2025.  

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

• Recorded NCAA-leading mile of 4:25.89 at the Dr. Sander Scorcher, falling only behind pro Katelyn Tuohy in the race

• Her time is third-fastest among collegiate performers, the Oregon school record, and is the first Oregon woman to post a sub-4:30 mark 

• Nielsen was also named USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week (Jan. 27) 

• Last Oregon Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week: Silan Ayyildiz (Dec. 11, 2024) 

Field Athlete of the Week 
Tori Thomas, Illinois 
Senior – Pole Vault – Rock Island, Illinois – Major: Recreation, Sport & Tourism 

• Won the UI Armory pole vault with a mark of 4.57m (15-0) 

• Her mark is a Big Ten, school and UI Armory record 

• Her mark is currently the second-best vault in the nation for 2025 and leads the Big Ten 

• Last Illinois Women’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week: Rose Yeboah (Jan. 22, 2025) 
   

Freshman of the Week 
Lucie Kienast, Illinois 
Freshman – Pentathlon – Frankfurt, Germany – Major: Kinesiology 

• Won the pentathlon at the IU Armory classis with a Big Ten and Illinois school record 4,405 points 

• After the flat track conversion of 4,428 points, her mark is the nation’s lead for 2025 

• She also set the program’s sixth-best shot put mark with her 14.65m (48-0 ¾) throw 

• This marks Illinois’ and Kienast’s first Women’s Indoor Track and Field Freshman of the week 
   

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