Maryland, Minnesota and Oregon Capture Weekly Women’s Indoor Track and Field Accolades

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its Women’s Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week for the week of December 4-11, 2024.  

Track Athlete of the Week  

Silan Ayyildiz, Oregon 

Junior – Distance – Istanbul, Turkey – Major: Business Administration 

• Set the Oregon school record in the 3,000 meters (8:46.33)  

• No. 10 performer on the all-time collegiate list - No. 1 in the Big Ten, No. 4 in the NCAA this season - Took nearly four seconds off the previous school record 

• She lowered lifetime best by more than seven seconds 

Field Athlete of the Week 

Anthonett Nabwe, Minnesota 

Junior – Throws – Jamestown, N.D. – Major: Kinesiology 

• Opened up the indoor season with the No. 1 weight throw mark in the nation to win the M City Classic, claiming the victory with a toss of 22.45m (73-8) 

• Her mark of 22.45m (73-8) is the top mark in the country by nearly an entire meter (second is 21.50m | 70-6 1/2) 

• Additionally, Nabwe won the M City Classic shot put with a mark of 15.95m (52-4), which sits at No. 6 nationally and No. 2 in the Big Ten as of Dec. 10 

• Last Minnesota Indoor Field Athlete of the Week: Shelby Frank (Feb. 2, 2024) 

Freshman of the Week 

Simone Cooper, Maryland 

Freshman – Throws – Middletown, D.E. – Major: Agricultural & Veterinary Medicine 

• Opened her collegiate career by winning the shot put at the Navy Invitational 

• Posted a mark of 13.30 meters on her first attempt 

• The only competitor at the meet to surpass the 13-meter mark and won the event by nearly half a meter 

• First Indoor Freshman of the Week honors for Cooper and Maryland 

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