Lauren Taubert Earns First-Career Big 12 Athlete of the Week Honors
Feb 07, 2018 | Track & Field
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Lauren Taubert's first collegiate win in the pentathlon also netted her first Big 12 Athlete of the Week honor, as announced by the league office Wednesday, after the K-State sophomore turned in a career-best 3,811 points to claim the Austra Skujyte Pentathlon at the DeLoss Dodds Invitational on Friday.
Taubert, one of three Wildcats among the nation's top-40 scorers in the pentathlon, claimed K-State's first league honor and the women's program's 22nd, the last coming on February 22, 2017 following a school record weight throw by Janee' Kassanavoid.
"One of the reasons I enjoy working with Lauren is that she cares so much. Lauren has worked hard and improved across the board," Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto said of Taubert's honor. "She had a very good [60-meter] hurdles race, great high jump and an overall personal best score."
In the Austra Skujyte women's pentathlon on Friday, Taubert opened her day with a set of personal bests in the women's 60-meter hurdles (8.60) and the women's high jump with a best leap of 1.72m/5-07.75. Following personal bests in the first two events of the pentathlon, Taubert continued her day with a second-place finish in the women's shot-put, before winning the pentathlon behind a first-place finish of 2:21.51 in the final event, the 800 meters.
Taubert's converted score of 3,834 currently ranks her fourth in the Big 12 and 32nd in the NCAA this season. Fellow sophomores Nina Schultz (9th) and Ariel Okorie (18nd) are also on the national performance list with Taubert.
"It's really exciting. Compared to last year I have a whole new excitement for competing," Taubert said of her performance on Friday. "Overall, I think a lot the [the success] is just progression, I feel a lot more comfortable in my approach in the high jump."
Following her victory in the women's pentathlon, Taubert came back to compete in the women's 4x400-meter relay, where she split a team-best 55.07 in the 400. The relay consisting of Taubert, Akia Guerrier, Schultz and A'Keyla Mitchell went on to run the eighth fastest 4x400 meter relay time in K-State indoor history, crossing the line in 3:42.68.
For a full recap of Taubert and the Wildcats' showing at the DeLoss Dodds Invitational, click here. The Wildcats will continue their indoor slate this weekend as the team splits to travel to the Texas Tech Shootout in Lubbock, Texas, and the Gorilla Classic in Pittsburg, Kansas.
For the latest on K-State track and field follow @kstatesports and @KStateTFXC on Twitter or Kansas State Track & Field/Cross Country on Facebook.
Taubert, one of three Wildcats among the nation's top-40 scorers in the pentathlon, claimed K-State's first league honor and the women's program's 22nd, the last coming on February 22, 2017 following a school record weight throw by Janee' Kassanavoid.
"One of the reasons I enjoy working with Lauren is that she cares so much. Lauren has worked hard and improved across the board," Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto said of Taubert's honor. "She had a very good [60-meter] hurdles race, great high jump and an overall personal best score."
In the Austra Skujyte women's pentathlon on Friday, Taubert opened her day with a set of personal bests in the women's 60-meter hurdles (8.60) and the women's high jump with a best leap of 1.72m/5-07.75. Following personal bests in the first two events of the pentathlon, Taubert continued her day with a second-place finish in the women's shot-put, before winning the pentathlon behind a first-place finish of 2:21.51 in the final event, the 800 meters.
The 'Cats go 1-2 in the Austra Skujyte Women's Pentathlon ??
— K-State Track (@KStateTFXC) February 2, 2018
1. Lauren Taubert, 3,811 points
2. Ariel Okorie, 3,723 points
Sophomore Nina Schultz and Freshman Paige Kimble withdrew from the competition pic.twitter.com/OOGSBULkWO
Taubert's converted score of 3,834 currently ranks her fourth in the Big 12 and 32nd in the NCAA this season. Fellow sophomores Nina Schultz (9th) and Ariel Okorie (18nd) are also on the national performance list with Taubert.
"It's really exciting. Compared to last year I have a whole new excitement for competing," Taubert said of her performance on Friday. "Overall, I think a lot the [the success] is just progression, I feel a lot more comfortable in my approach in the high jump."
Following her victory in the women's pentathlon, Taubert came back to compete in the women's 4x400-meter relay, where she split a team-best 55.07 in the 400. The relay consisting of Taubert, Akia Guerrier, Schultz and A'Keyla Mitchell went on to run the eighth fastest 4x400 meter relay time in K-State indoor history, crossing the line in 3:42.68.
For a full recap of Taubert and the Wildcats' showing at the DeLoss Dodds Invitational, click here. The Wildcats will continue their indoor slate this weekend as the team splits to travel to the Texas Tech Shootout in Lubbock, Texas, and the Gorilla Classic in Pittsburg, Kansas.
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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