Tuesday, February 4, 2020

NEW ORLEANS – After beating a Division I-heavy field in the 800 meters at the UW Invitational and blowing away the GNAC record in the process, Western Oregon junior Derek Holdsworth has been named the U.S. Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association’s (USTFCCCA) Division II Men’s Athlete of the Week.

Holdsworth topped a field of 40 competitors at Dempsey Indoor on Saturday with a winning time of 1:47.74. An NCAA Championships automatic qualifier, the time leads Division II by a second and a half and ranks third this season among all collegiate competitors. In addition, the time is tied for ninth on the World Athletics’ season-best list for the indoor 800 meters under all conditions.

The time also blew away the old GNAC record of 1:49.68, which was set in 2016 by Western Oregon’s Badane Sultessa.

Holdsworth is the first GNAC athlete this season to earn a National Athlete of the Week award from the USTFCCCA. He is just the second Western Oregon athlete to net a National Athlete of the Week award during the indoor season, joining four-time recipient David Ribich.