Schultz’s Historic Pentathlon Feat Earns Big 12 Athlete of the Week Honors
Feb 14, 2018 | Track & Field
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Sophomore Nina Schultz scored an NCAA-leading, and fifth-best in the world this season, 4,502 points in the women's pentathlon at the Texas Tech Shootout last Friday, earning her Big 12 Athlete of the Week honors for the third time in her career.
Her performance also ranks her second in K-State pentathlon history, behind only Akela Jones (4,643 pts.), and seventh all-time in NCAA history. Her feat also tops her U-20 Canadian pentathlon record of 4,340 points previously set at the NCAA Championships last March.
"I think I went into the competition pretty relaxed, actually," Schultz said of her performance. "I pretty much knew, no matter what I did, I would do better than my score in December, so I wasn't really worried about it. To me, the score was pretty surprising overall, but it was just nice to have some personal bests."
Schultz, a native of New Westminster, Canada, set three personal bests in the pentathlon on Friday, including a jump of 1.82m/5-11.50 in the high jump, 6.39m/20-11.75 in the long jump and a time of 2:19.79 in the 800 meters on the way to her career-best point total. In addition to her NCAA lead of more than 100 points in the pentathlon, Schultz also ranks in the top 16 in the NCAA with her performances in the high jump and long jump.
Schultz's honor marks the second time in as many weeks a Wildcat has won the Big 12 Athlete of the Week award, as fellow sophomore pentathlete Lauren Taubert claimed the award last week after winning the DeLoss Dodds Invitational pentathlon competition. Taubert and Schultz mark just the third time in the Big 12 era that the Wildcat women have claimed the honor in back-to-back weeks.
"Nina got off to a great start in the hurdles and high jump, she finished with a great long jump and 800," Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto said of Schultz's performance. "I think she has a little more to give in every event so there is potential for more, but she is making tremendous progress in her events."
As only a sophomore, Schultz has already won the Big 12 Athlete of the Week honor three times in her career, becoming just one of nine Wildcats to win the award three or more times since its inception. Schultz claimed her first Athlete of the Week honor on February 8, 2017, when she scored 4,271 points in the pentathlon at the Sevigne Husker Invitational and won it again as a freshman on April 12, 2017 during the outdoor season.
Hear more about her performance and her preparation for the Big 12 Championships by clicking here. For a full recap of Schultz and the Wildcats' showing at the Texas Tech Shootout, click here.
The Wildcats will compete in their final showing before the Big 12 Championships on Friday, as they will compete in the Nebraska Tune-Up on Friday in Lincoln, Nebraska. Following this weekend's competition, the Wildcats will make the trip up to Ames, Iowa, for the Big 12 Championships on February 23-24.
For the latest on K-State track and field follow @kstatesports and @KStateTFXC on Twitter or Kansas State Track & Field/Cross Country on Facebook.
Her performance also ranks her second in K-State pentathlon history, behind only Akela Jones (4,643 pts.), and seventh all-time in NCAA history. Her feat also tops her U-20 Canadian pentathlon record of 4,340 points previously set at the NCAA Championships last March.
"I think I went into the competition pretty relaxed, actually," Schultz said of her performance. "I pretty much knew, no matter what I did, I would do better than my score in December, so I wasn't really worried about it. To me, the score was pretty surprising overall, but it was just nice to have some personal bests."
Schultz, a native of New Westminster, Canada, set three personal bests in the pentathlon on Friday, including a jump of 1.82m/5-11.50 in the high jump, 6.39m/20-11.75 in the long jump and a time of 2:19.79 in the 800 meters on the way to her career-best point total. In addition to her NCAA lead of more than 100 points in the pentathlon, Schultz also ranks in the top 16 in the NCAA with her performances in the high jump and long jump.
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— K-State Track (@KStateTFXC) February 9, 2018
Sophomore Nina Schultz just recorded a new @NCAATrackField best this season and the seventh best pentathlon score in NCAA history! #KStateTF pic.twitter.com/gFI82J4fwb
Schultz's honor marks the second time in as many weeks a Wildcat has won the Big 12 Athlete of the Week award, as fellow sophomore pentathlete Lauren Taubert claimed the award last week after winning the DeLoss Dodds Invitational pentathlon competition. Taubert and Schultz mark just the third time in the Big 12 era that the Wildcat women have claimed the honor in back-to-back weeks.
"Nina got off to a great start in the hurdles and high jump, she finished with a great long jump and 800," Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto said of Schultz's performance. "I think she has a little more to give in every event so there is potential for more, but she is making tremendous progress in her events."
As only a sophomore, Schultz has already won the Big 12 Athlete of the Week honor three times in her career, becoming just one of nine Wildcats to win the award three or more times since its inception. Schultz claimed her first Athlete of the Week honor on February 8, 2017, when she scored 4,271 points in the pentathlon at the Sevigne Husker Invitational and won it again as a freshman on April 12, 2017 during the outdoor season.
Hear more about her performance and her preparation for the Big 12 Championships by clicking here. For a full recap of Schultz and the Wildcats' showing at the Texas Tech Shootout, click here.
The Wildcats will compete in their final showing before the Big 12 Championships on Friday, as they will compete in the Nebraska Tune-Up on Friday in Lincoln, Nebraska. Following this weekend's competition, the Wildcats will make the trip up to Ames, Iowa, for the Big 12 Championships on February 23-24.
For the latest on K-State track and field follow @kstatesports and @KStateTFXC on Twitter or Kansas State Track & Field/Cross Country on Facebook.
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