Breisch Named Big 12 Athlete of the Week

Lincoln, Neb. ? Becky Breisch became the first Nebraska track and field athlete to earn Big 12 Conference athlete of the week honors for the 2004 season, the conference office announced Monday afternoon.

The junior threw her third NCAA automatic-qualifying mark with a toss of 55-1 ? to win the shot put title at the Tiger Classic last Friday in Columbia, Mo.

"Each week of competition has been another opportunity to improve," Breisch said. "It’s all leading up to nationals."

The Edwardsburg, Mich., native threw an NCAA automatic-qualifying mark of 54-4 ? to open the season at the Panther Open on Jan. 17, and has improved that mark twice over the past two weeks of competition.

Breisch has won every meet she has entered this season in the shot put and currently holds the sixth-best mark in the nation. Her throw of 55-1 ? is also the second-best mark on the Big 12 performance list this season.

The 2003 NCAA Outdoor shot put champion is on her way to another banner year, and will face some of her toughest competition of the 2004 season in the 29th annual Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational. Breisch will face North Carolina’s Laura Gerraughty, who won the 2003 NCAA indoor title and was runner-up to Breisch in the outdoor competition.

"I’m really looking forward to the competition this weekend," Breisch said. "Competing with people of this caliber can only make you better."

Texas’ Donovan Klimartin was named the Big 12 men’s track and field athlete of the week for winning the UNI Invitational heptathlon with a score of 5,856 points.