Mayhew named Big Ten Track Athlete of the Week

IU track and field has hosted three meets this season and each has produced at least one Big Ten Athlete of the Week award for the Hoosiers.

Senior Zach Mayhew is the bearer of the title this week due to his performance in the 3000-meter run at the Gladstein Invitational. He crossed the line at 8:02.73, good enough for second in the event. The winner was professional runner Lee Emanual. Mayhew’s time is the fastest in NCAA Division 1 this season and was the 10th-fastest time in the world.

This is Mayhew’s second Big Ten Track Athlete of the Week honor this season and the sixth for the Hoosiers so far. IU Coach Ron Helmer said he is glad to see his athletes taking advantage of early season meets.

“We don’t want to waste a competitive opportunity,” Helmer said. “We feel like meets are a great opportunity to prepare and to train and to gain fitness. So when we put good, prepared athletes out there in good situations, we get a little jump start on the rest of the conference.”

The next event for the Hoosiers will be Friday and Saturday Jan. 25-26 at Gladstein Fieldhouse as the Hoosiers host the Indiana Relays.

- Casey Krajewski