Diamond Dixon Named Big 12 Female Track and Field Athlete of the Week

May 10, 2011

IRVING, Texas – Kansas freshman sprinter Diamond Dixon was named Big 12 Female Track and Field Athlete of the Week here Tuesday. Dixon was honored for the first time in her KU career and was just the third freshman to be bestowed the award this season.

Dixon finished in a season’s best time of 52.96 in the 400 meters at the Arkansas Twilight Meet, setting a new KU school record in the event. The El Paso, Texas native, who also competed as a member of the Jayhawk 4×100-meter relay team, trimmed nearly seven tenths of a second off her previous collegiate-best time of 53.62, which she ran at the Kansas Relays in late April.

Dixon’s time moves her up to third in the Big 12 rankings and 13th in the NCAA. It is just .04 off of her lifetime best of 52.92. Dixon, who earned All-America honors in the indoor 400 meters, is also the KU record holder in the indoor 400 meters with her time of 53.06.

Dixon is the second KU athlete to be honored by the Big 12 this season as sophomore thrower Mason Finley has been named the Big 12 Male Track and Field Athlete on two occasions.

Dixon, Finley and their Jayhawk teammates will travel to Norman, Okla., this weekend for the 2011 Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The meet will be hosted by the University of Oklahoma at the John Jacobs Track Complex May 13-15.