JONESBORO, Ark. (4/29/21) – For the second week in a row, three-fourths of the Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week honors have gone to members of the Arkansas State track and field squads.
Bennett Pascoe and Aimar Palma Simo were tabbed Men's Track and Field Athletes of the Week while Pauline Meyer was named Women's Track Athlete of the Week. Thursday's announcement by the league office marks the second consecutive week Pascoe and Meyer are honored – the fourth overall time this season for Meyer.
Pascoe was named the Men's Track Athlete of the Week after breaking A-State's 50-year-old 3000m steeplechase record and taking over the NCAA lead with a blistering 8:38.12 to win the event and also shatter the meet record at the John McDonnell Invitational. His mark bested the previous record, set by Bob Gray in 1971, by nearly 15 seconds and marked the second straight week he broke a school record that stood for 50 years or more. The Conway, Arkansas, native's record time currently ranks ninth in the United States as well as 23rd in the world.
Meyer also did some record-breaking of her own on Saturday in Fayetteville, except she broke her own record in the steeplechase by over 10 seconds with a time of 10:25.49. It moved her up to 30th in the NCAA West Region, while giving her the lead in the conference. She now leads the Sun Belt Conference in all three events in which she has competed – 1500m, 5000m and the steeplechase. Her time is also the second-best time among Germans.
Palma Simo earned the first weekly honor of his young career on Thursday after an impressive performance in Fayetteville. The Castellon, Spain, native hurled a personal-best 65.55m (215-0.0) in the hammer throw to place as the third-best collegian in a strong field at the John McDonnell Invitational. His mark moved him up to 14th in the NCAA West Region and he currently ranks second in the Sun Belt in the event, as well as second in school history. On the international level, Palma Simo's mark puts him at fifth among Spaniards this season – two spots behind former A-State All-American Christian Ravar Ladislau.
NEXT UP
The Red Wolves have one more meet separating them from the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Championships in Mobile, Alabama. A-State's final tune-up ahead of the conference meet will be Friday and Saturday at the Maroon and White Invite in Starkville, Mississippi.
SOCIAL MEDIA
For the latest on the A-State track and field program, follow @AStateTrack on Twitter and @Arkansas_State_Track on Instagram, while also liking the team's Facebook page at Facebook.com/AStateTrackAndField.
A-State Track and Field SBC Weekly Honors in 2021:
Camryn Newton-Smith (W Field) – Jan. 28
Jermie Walker (M Track) – Jan. 28
Lauren Beauchamp (W Field) – Feb. 4
Carter Shell (M Field) – 2x: Feb. 4, Feb. 18
Pauline Meyer (W Track) – 2x: Feb. 11, Feb. 18
Grace Flowers (W Field) – Feb. 18
Seth Waters (M Track) – Feb. 18
Babette Vandeput (W Field) – April 8
Lexington Hilton (M Track) – April 15
Carter Shell (M Field) – April 15
Bennett Pascoe (M Track) – 2x: April 22, April 29
Pauline Meyer (W Track) – 2x: April 22, April 29
Frank Massey (M Field) – April 22
Aimar Palma Simo (M Field) – April 29
