Iowa, Penn State and Rutgers Earn 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 Jan. 29-Feb. 5, 2025.  

Track Athlete of the Week  
Hayley Kitching, Penn State 
Junior – Mid-Distance – Coffs Harbour, Australia – Major: Division of Undergraduate Studies 

• Lowered her own Penn State school record in the 800-meter run with 2:01.14
• Her event-winning time is over two seconds faster than the No. 2 mark in the Big Ten this season Kitching now owns two top four marks in the NCAA this season with her 1K time from earlier this year 
• This marks Kitchings’ second Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week award this season. Last: Jan. 22, 2025 

Field Athlete of the Week 
Chloe Timberg, Rutgers 
Senior – Pole Vault – Doylestown, PA – Major: Exercise Science 

• Won the Scarlet Knights Open with a personal best 4.72m (15-5.75) 
• Her mark is also both a school and Big Ten record and is No. 2 in the NCAA all-time
• Timberg's’ mark is currently No. 1 in the world for 2025
• This marks Timberg’s first Indoor Field Athlete of the Week award of the season and second-ever. Last: Jan 24. 2024 
   

Freshman of the Week 
Damaris Mutunga, Iowa 
Freshman – Mid-distance – Machakos, Kenya – Major: Sport and Recreation Management 

• Posted a PR 1:27.22 to win the 600-meters at the Meyo Invite 
• Her 600-meter time leads the Big Ten, freshman and is eighth overall nationally
• Mutunga also now has the second-best time at Iowa for 600-meters 
• Last Iowa Indoor Freshman of the Week: Chioma Nwachukwu (Jan. 22, 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