Ali Smith is Big East Female Track Athlete of the Week

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Four different teams were represented on the BIG EAST Outdoor Track & Field weekly awards as announced by the conference office on Tuesday. Marquette junior Tyler O’Brien was named BIG EAST Men’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week, while Rutgers junior James Plummer earned BIG EAST Men’s Field Athlete of the Week. On the women’s side, Villanova senior Ali Smith was named BIG EAST Women’s Track Athlete of the Week while Louisville senior D’Ana McCarty earned BIG EAST Women’s Field Athlete of the Week.

O’Brien was named BIG EAST Men’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week after winning both the 100 and 200-meter dash at the Oliver Nikoloff Invitational on April 2 in Cincinnati, Ohio. O’Brien ran a 10.58 in the 100, claiming first with the second-fastest time in the BIG EAST this season. The time was also just .03 off his personal best. The junior then ran a 21.28 in the 200 which also ranks second in the conference this season and is .05 off his personal best.

Plummer earned BIG EAST Men’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week after winning the discus throw at the Colonial Relays held on March 31-April 2 in Williamsburg, Va. The junior’s toss of 58.09 meters was 3.47 meters better than the closest competitor. It was his second-longest throw of the season and ranks second in the East Region. Plummer already owns the top throw in the region with a distance of 58.81 meters back on March 18 at the USF Bulls Invitational.

Smith was named BIG EAST Women’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week after winning the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Colonial Relays. Smith ran a time of 10:24.52 to beat 18 other competitors and set a Zable Stadium record in the event. The senior shattered the facility record by more than 10 seconds. The time was a personal best and ranks third in the country. Villanova won the team title at the meet.

McCarty earned BIG EAST Women’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week after claiming a pair of top-five finishes at the Pepsi Florida Relays in Gainesville, Fla., on April 1-2. McCarty won the shot put with a career-best throw of 16.25 meters. The toss ranks first in the BIG EAST and 12th nationally. The senior also placed fifth in the discus, registering a season-best mark of 50.73 meters. It is the best throw in the conference this season and ranks 27th nationally.