Ohio State Throwers Repeat as Big Ten Track and Field Athletes of the Week – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/27/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Jan. 27, 2004
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State throwers Dan Taylor (Sr., Middlefield, Ohio/ Berkshire) and Amarachi Ukabam (So., Creve Couer, Mo./ Marquette) not only have dominated their opposition in the throw events this season, winning 11 of the 12 competitions, but the tandem has nearly owned the Big Ten Athlete of the Week honors so far in 2004. For the second straight week, Taylor and Ukabam were named Big Ten Track and Field Male and Female Athlete of the Week after both won the shot put and weight throw events at the Indiana-Purdue-Ohio State Tri-Meet held at French Field House Saturday, Jan 24.
Taylor garnered his third award in as many weeks Tuesday after first-place performances in both the shot put (65-feet – 0.75-inches) and weight throw (73-9.75) with NCAA indoor championship automatic qualifying marks in both events. Ukabam scored her second honor in as many weeks with first placers in the weight and shot put as well. Ukabam’s mark in the weight (65-10.50) served as an automatic national qualifier, while her effort in the shot put (52-8.25) provisionally qualified for the NCAA’s.
Taylor’s weekly honor is his 10th in the last two seasons, while the award this week is the third won by Ukabam in her career.
Last week, the pair claimed the weekly honor following first-place performances in both the weight throw and shot put at the Kentucky Invitational. Taylor, who garnered the weekly award Jan. 12 after setting an American collegiate record in the weight throw in the season-opener Jan. 10, set a Kentucky venue record in the shot put and took first in the weight. On the women’s side, Ukabam automatically qualified with her effort in the weight throw, while also posting the top mark in the shot put.
Taylor opened the event at Kentucky with an effort of 73-7.25 to capture first in the weight and completed the sweep with a Nutter Field House all-time shot put mark of 66-5.25. Both of Taylor’s efforts served as automatic qualifiers to the NCAA championships.
Ukabam, the reigning conference freshman of the year, recorded an NCAA Indoor championships automatic qualifier in the weight with a heave of 65-7.75. Her 51-4.25 first-place throw in the shot put also served as a provisional qualifier.
The Buckeyes remain home at French Field House this week as they play host to the 2004 Ohio State Invitational. The event is set to get underway at 11 a.m. Live results for the event may be viewed at www.deltatiming.com by selecting the Ohio State icon.
