Scott Tabbed Big 12 Athlete of the Week
Feb. 3, 2009
LAWRENCE, Kan. – After matching a season-best and national-leading pole vault of 5.50 meters (18-00.50 ft.) this past weekend at the adidas Classic in Lincoln, Neb., Kansas junior Jordan Scott has been named Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Male Athlete of the Week for competitions from Jan. 27 to Feb. 2, the conference office announced Tuesday afternoon.
“I’m just as surprised as I was last year,” Scott said of receiving the honor. “It’s definitely an honor. I’m glad to get it. It was cool last year when Kate Sultanova and I got it in one week. I’ll take it.”
It is the second time in his indoor career that Scott has been honored by the Big 12, and the first time in 2009.
“It’s really good for the University of Kansas, and I’m excited for Jordan,” Kansas head coach Stanley Redwine said. “He’s jumped 5.50, about 18 feet, two weeks in a row now. There’s some consistency to what he’s doing. It’s a well-deserved honor for him.”
Scott’s performance in Lincoln gave him his fourth pole vault title in as many meets this season. The junior from Watkinsville, Ga., also made it two meets in a row in which he posted an automatic NCAA-qualifying mark.
Already qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships, Scott still has a few meets left until the postseason.
“I’m really going to just keep doing what I’ve been doing,” Scott explained. “I’m working on a few specific technical things during my vault. I try to not worry about the height, try not to worry about the bar and hopefully I make it in the process. That’s pretty much all I’ve been doing, hopefully I can keep it up.”
“He’s probably harder on himself than anyone else,” Redwine added. “I believe his potential is unlimited, and I’m not going to put a lot of pressure on him in order to get somewhere and do something because he knows what’s expected of him and he goes out there and performs to that level each time.”
Scott and the Jayhawks are in action this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 6-7, at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational in New York, N.Y.
2009 BIG 12 INDOOR TRACK & FIELD ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
(Male; Female)
Jan. 13: Gerald Phiri, Texas A&M, So., Chris Rohr, Missouri, Sr.; Jessica Beard, Texas A&M, So.
Jan. 20: Gil Roberts, Texas Tech, So.; Destinee Hooker, Texas, Jr., Natalie Willer, Nebraska, So.
Jan. 27: German Fernandez, Oklahoma State, Fr.; Tiffany Townsend, Baylor, So.
Feb. 3: Jordan Scott, KANSAS, Jr., Gerald Phiri, Texas A&M, So.; Jenny Barringer, Colorado, Jr.
