BAY CITY, Mich. - Malone University senior Tina Oprean (Canton, Ohio/Canton Central Catholic) and Grand Valley State University senior Kristen Hixson (Remus, Mich./Chippewa Valley) have been chosen as the GLIAC Women's Outdoor Track & Field "Athletes of the Week."
GLIAC Women's Outdoor Track "Athlete of the Week":
Tina Oprean - Malone University
Senior - Canton, Ohio/Canton Central Catholic
Malone University senior Tina Oprean broke the outdoor 5000-meter school record that had stood for 26 years as she blazed the track in a time of 16:54.56 to shatter the previous mark of 17:02.24 set by Marguerite Skello-Brabowicz in 1988. Oprean finished third among 32 runners in the field, many of whom were from NCAA Division I schools. The mark was also an NCAA Division II national provisional qualifying time.
2014 GLIAC Women's Track Athletes of the Week: (4/2) Jessica Janecke -GV, (4/9) Kalena Franklin - GV, (4/16) Tina Oprean - MU.
GLIAC Women's Outdoor Field "Athlete of the Week":
Kristen Hixson - Grand Valley State University
Senior - Remus, Mich./Chippewa Valley
Grand Valley State senior pole vaulter Kristen Hixson broke her own school record in the pole vault over the weekend at the Hilltopper Relays in Bowling Green, Ky., clearing a height of 4.23 meters (13'10.5"). Her mark is currently the best in NCAA Division II by 7.5 inches over teammate Jennifer Schornak.
2014 GLIAC Women's Field Athletes of the Week: (4/2) Cynthia Watt - AU, (4/9) Jennifer Foster - AU, (4/16) Kristen Hixson - AU.
Click here for the top GLIAC outdoor track and field performances of the season
Click here for 2014 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Women’s Qualifying Standards