Hoppel named Big 12 Men’s Track & Field Athlete of the Week

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas junior Bryce Hoppel was named the Big 12 Men’s Track & Field Athlete of the Week for his performance at the National Relay Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas, April 26-27, announced by the conference on Wednesday.

Hoppel, the 2019 NCAA Indoor Track & Field national champion in the 800-meter run, continued his unbeaten streak in individual races for 2019, winning his 13th-straight at the National Relay Championships. The Midland, Texas native won the 800 meters with a season-best time of 1:45.87, which ranks No. 1 in the West region, No. 2 in the NCAA and No. 8 in the world this season. The time was also No. 4 on the KU track all-time performance list.

The last time Hoppel did not finish first in an individual race was June 8, 2018 in the final of the 800-meter run at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Hoppel finished fourth in that race to earn First Team All-America honors.

The honor marks the first Big 12 Athlete of the Week award won by Hoppel, and the first for Kansas since Gleb Dudarev was named Co-Men’s Athlete of the Week on April 3.

Kansas is scheduled for action at the Ward Haylett Invitational, May 3-4, in Manhattan, Kansas to conclude the regular season. The Jayhawks will then travel to Norman, Oklahoma for the 2019 Big 12 Outdoor Championships, May 10-12.