Two Spartans were awarded University Athletic Association (UAA) Athlete of the Week honors after strong performances at the Washington and Lee University (W&L) Track Carnival. For Case Western Reserve University, both men and women track and field team members won events at the outdoor season opening event in Lexington, Virginia this past weekend. Two women took first place and one member of the men’s team did, and multiple people in both sections recorded successful times and distances in various events for the Spartans.

Third-year student Cassandra Laios won the hammer throw with the incredible distance of 47.38 meters, the fourth highest distance recorded in the event by anyone in Division III this season. Laios’ excellent performance in the event, as well as a second place finish in the discus throw, helped to earn her UAA Athlete of the Week honors. Additionally, two other Spartans also placed in the top four of the hammer throw. Third-year student Nimi Gupta took third place and second-year student Marina Yu took fourth.

Several other women had strong weekends in their own events.

Second-year student Shannon Carroll won the shot put event with a distance of 11.56 meters, and she also tacked on a fourth-place finish in the javelin throwing contest with a distance of 33.14 meters. Fourth-year student Abby Casalnova took fifth place in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:02.29 and second-year student Olivia Newman took second place in the 400-meter hurdles competition with a time of 1:07.08, as well as fourth place in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 16.63. Also, third-year student Claire Plunkett took second place in the 3,000 meter steeplechase with a time of 11:58.49.

As for the men, third-year student Andrew Ibibo also performed well enough to be honored with a UAA Athlete of the Week award after winning the 400-meter dash with a time of 49.11. The mark is currently the third best time in Division III and the best time in the UAA. He also took fifth-place finish in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.72.

In addition to Ibibo, fourth-year student Galen Caldwell took third place in the steeplechase with a time of 9:46.22 and first-year student Brian Holden took third place in the javelin contest with a throw of 54.51 meters.
The Spartans now look forward to their upcoming competition, the Amy Adams Memorial Invitational in New Concord, Ohio. It will take place on Friday, March 24 and Saturday, March 25 at Muskingum University