Villanova’s Cleirigh Buttner Runs To No. 2 Time In NCAA; Highlights #BIGEASTtrack Weekly Award Winners
BIG EAST Men’s Track Athlete of the Week
Nick Carleo, Providence, So., Mid-Distance (Newburyport, Mass.)
Providence sophomore Nick Carleo finished 10th in the mile at the Boston University Terrier Invitational on Friday, with a time that is the fastest in the league so far this season and 36th fastest in the NCAA. Carleo’s performance was his first indoor race for the Friars. His time of 4:04.45 was three seconds faster than his previous persona best.
BIG EAST Men’s Field Athlete of the Week
Joel McBride, Marquette, Sr., Throws (Zion, Ill.)
Senior Joel McBride threw for a personal best and finished sixth in the weight throw at the Jack Johnson Clasic hosted by Minnesota on Saturday. McBride’s distance of 17.77 meters ranked as No. 6 all-time at Marquette and was the second-longest throw in the BIG EAST this season.
BIG EAST Women’s Track Athlete of the Week
Siofra Cleirigh Buttner, Villanova, Jr., Mid Distance (Dublin, Ireland)
Siofra Cleirigh Buttner broke her own indoor school record in the 800 meters with a time of 2:02.97 at the Columbia East-West Challenge, which tops the BIG EAST charts this season and is second in the NCAA. She finished as runner up out of 17 runners in the race, and trailed only defending national champion Raevyn Rogers of Oregon, who leads the NCAA. The junior leads the BIG EAST by more than seven seconds in the 800. Buttner also anchored the Wildcats’ in the distance medley relay with the 1,600-meter split of 4:37.29. Villanova’s total finish of 11:07.90 in the DMR is third in the country behind Oregon and Stanford.
BIG EAST Women’s Field Athlete of the Week
Monique Felix, Marquette, So., Multi-Events (Sheboygan, Wis.)
Sophomore Monique Felix shattered her previous person-best in the indoor pentathlon with a score of 3,603 at the Jack Johnson Classic hosted by Minnesota this weekend. Her point total tops the BIG EAST list and is 43rd out of 95 in the NCAA. It is also No. 2 all-time at Marquette. She took second place in the pentathlon after winning two events, including the shot put with a distance of 10.27 meters and the 0800-meters with the time of 2:25.23.
Notable Performances
- DePaul’s Caroline Muller reached a new season-best height in the women’s high jump at the Indiana University Relays after leaping over 1.65 meters to lead the BIG EAST.
- Providence’s Millie Paladino finished second in the mile at the Boston University Terrier Invitational with a personal-best time of 4:37.53. Her time is No. 1 in the league rankings and is 10th in the NCAA.
- Winning her fourth-straight 200-meter dash, St. John’s Maya Stephens once again raced to a No. 1 time in the BIG EAST with a finish of 24.02. Her time is No. 55 in the NCAA. She also placed second in the 60-meter dash with a second-best BIG EAST time of 7.56 seconds.
- Xavier sophomore Kara Robinson posted a school record time of 8.84 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles at the Thundering Herd Invitational. Her time is fifth fastest in the BIG EAST.
2016-17 Indoor Track & Field Weekly Honors
Men's Track: Hugh Armstrong, Providence (Dec. 6); Scott Carpenter, Georgetown (Dec. 13); Joseph White, Georgetown (Jan. 18); Erik Peterson, Butler (Jan. 24); Nick Carleo, Providence (Jan. 31)
Men's Field: Trevor Kintyhtt, DePaul (Dec. 6, Jan. 18, Jan. 24); Kolby Koeck, Villanova (Dec. 13); Joel McBride, Marquette (Jan. 31)
Women's Track: Kennedy Weisner, Georgetown (Dec. 6); Maya Stephens, St. John’s (Dec. 13, Jan. 24); Emma Keenan (Jan. 18); Siofra Cleirigh Buttner, Villanova (Jan. 31)
Women's Field: Jade Nolan, DePaul (Dec. 6, Jan. 18); Terica Harris, Marquette (Dec. 13); Gemma Tedeschi, Marquette (Jan. 24); Monique Felix, Marquette (Jan. 31)