Ross Collects Second Pac-12 Weekly Honor

EUGENE, Ore. – For a second time this season, Jaida Ross has been selected Pac-12 Field Athlete of the Week as announced by the conference office Tuesday afternoon. Ross tied her own collegiate record at the Desert Heat Classic (April 27) in Tucson, Ariz.

Ross and the Women of Oregon are up to No. 3, a season high, in this week’s USTFCCCA National Rating Index which uses in-season marks to generate its team rankings. The Ducks combined for six additional top-20 national marks this past weekend including a top-five performance by the women’s 4×100 relay.

At the Desert Heat Classic, Ross put together a six-throw series that featured four measures beyond 19 meters including her day’s best of 19.71m/64-8 in round two. She originally set the new NCAA standard April 6 at the Triton Invitational. 

The Medford, Ore., native currently has the fourth-best outdoor throw in the world, and seventh overall including indoor marks. Tuesday’s release is Ross’ third-career Pac-12 weekly honor.

Collectively, Oregon has seven Pac-12 Athlete of the Week selections this season: Ross (April 9, April 30), Maddy Elmore (April 2), Jadyn Mays (April 9), Aaliyah McCormick (April 23), Shelby Moran (April 16) and Mason Strunk (April 16).

Mays, Moran, Ross and Strunk are members of the UO senior class set to be recognized Friday evening when the Ducks host the Oregon Twilight at Hayward Field.  

Top 30 in the NCAA (thru April 29)

* – from this past weekend

Women’s 100 Meters

19. Jadyn Mays – 11.17*

Women’s 200 Meters

15. Jadyn Mays – 22.85

Men’s 1500 Meters

12. Elliott Cook – 3:38.55

Women’s 1500 Meters

6. Klaudia Kazimierska – 4:08.43

10. Şilan Ayyildiz – 4:09.34*

11. Maddy Elmore – 4:09.36

Women’s 5,000 Meters

2. Maddy Elmore – 15:15.79

3. Şilan Ayyildiz – 15:15.84

Women’s 10,000 Meters

20. Anika Thompson – 32:54.97

Women’s 100m Hurdles

7. Aaliyah McCormick – 12.81

Women’s 400m Hurdles

10. Shana Grebo – 56.33*

Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase

13. Katie Clute – 9:59.06

Women’s 4x100m Relay

5. Lily Jones – Jadyn Mays – Shana Grebo – Alexa Rossum – 43.16*

(No. 4 when duplicates removed)

Women’s Long Jump

27. Alysah Hickey – 6.43m/21-1.25

Women’s Shot Put

1. Jaida Ross – 19.71m/64-8

Women’s Discus

14. Jaida Ross – 58.31m/191-4

Men’s Hammer

16. Mason Strunk – 69.11m/226-9*

Women’s Hammer

3. Shelby Moran – 70.02m/229-9*

Women’s Javelin

29. Kohana Nakato – 51.27m/168-2

Heptathlon

13. Taylor Chocek – 5,688 points

Following conference weekend, the top 48 declared athletes—and top 24 relays—in each region qualify for the NCAA East and West Preliminary (May 22-25) meets. The West Preliminary will be held this year in Fayetteville, Ark. The postseason begins May 10-12 at the Pac-12 Championships in Boulder, Colo.

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