Texas’ AJ Bailey Jr. and Kansas State’s Akela Jones have been named the Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week thanks to dominant performances in their respective events. Bailey is taking home his first career honor and the first male award for Texas this outdoor season. Jones, the 2015 NCAA pentathlon champion, earns her first outdoor award after winning the indoor high jump national championship this past March.

BIG 12 TRACK & FIELD MALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
AJ Bailey Jr., Texas, Sprints, Jr., Arlington, Texas
Bailey Jr. put himself near the top of the NCAA list in the 200 meters this weekend with a victory at the Texas Invitational. Bailey crossed the finish line in 20.44 seconds to defeat LSU’s Tinashe Mutanga. Bailey’s time ranks No. 3 in the nation so far this season and was the fastest time over the weekend’s action. Bailey also ran to a fifth-place finish in the 100 with a time of 10.34 seconds and earned six points toward the team standings. He also helped the Longhorns run 39.22 seconds in the 4x100 meter relay to finish second behind LSU. That time was just off the Longhorn’s mark of 39.18 from the Texas Relays and keeps the Longhorns among the national leaders and contenders in the postseason. Bailey’s 18 points he contributed to the Longhorns helped the men’s team with the Texas Invitational with 138 points. The Longhorns were able to defend their home track and defeat No. 5 LSU, No. 7 Arkansas and No. 18 Penn State.

BIG 12 TRACK & FIELD FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Akela Jones, Kansas State, Pentathlon, Sr., St. Michael, Barbados
Jones dominated the field in the heptathlon at the Mt. SAC Relays. She opened the first day of competition in impressive fashion, setting a collegiate record-breaking first-day score of 4,063 points. She set two personal bests on day one in the 200 meter dash (23.28) and in high jump (1.95m/6-04.75). Her high jump mark also set a new school record, topping Gwen Wentland’s leap of 1.93m/6-04.00 in 1995. She opened day two with a victory in long jump before setting a personal best in the javelin throw with a mark of 38.97m/127-10. Jones finished the competition with 6,307 points to win the meet. Her final score is good for share of the sixth-best score in collegiate history in the event and is tied for the best score in the world this year. It is also just the seventh 6,300+ point effort in college history and the third 6,300+ point effort recorded before the NCAA Championships.

2016 Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Athletes of the Week