Drouin jumps to another Big Ten Athlete of the Week honor

Following his successful clearance of 2.32m (7-7.25) in the men’s high jump at the Hoosier Hills meet on Friday night, IU senior Derek Drouin was named the Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week.

It is the third time this season Drouin has earned the award and the eighth time in his career.??

The performance put Drouin into sole possession of the NCAA lead for men's high jump this season and fourth in the world.

Drouin's 2.32m-jump also broke the 25-year-old Gladstein Fieldhouse record for men's high jump set by Mark Reed. Later that night, Drouin said it was a very special feeling to be able to break the record in his final home meet.

He missed three attempts at 2.35m (7-8.5) but said he felt surprisingly good at that height. He cited the large volume of jumps he performed at the meet and his participation in the 60m hurdles as reasons he didn’t clear that bar as well.

His only career jump higher than what we saw Friday is his current personal record of 2.33m, set at the NCAA Indoor Championship two years ago.

Friday’s jump was higher than his bronze medal winning performance at the 2012 London Olympics, where he cleared 2.29m (7-6.25).

Drouin’s name can now be found twice in the top ten high jumps of NCAA history. He is one of only three jumpers to accomplish this.

Drouin and the rest of the IU Track and Field team will compete in the Big Ten Indoor Championships in Geneva, Ohio on Feb. 22-23.

- Casey Krajewski