NO. 22 SDSU TRACK & FIELD'S BONNIE DRAXLER AND ASHLEY HENDERSON NAMED MW ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

Draxler (field) and Henderson (track) sweep MW weekly awards

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo:  Ashley Henderson courtesy goaztecs.com

January 16, 2018 (San Diego) - San Diego State track and field’s Bonnie Draxler and Ashley Henderson swept the Mountain West Women’s Athlete-of-the-Week awards on Tuesday. Draxler was named the MW Women’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week, while Henderson was chosen as the MW Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week.

The duo shined at the UW Preview, the season-opening meet for the 22^nd-ranked Aztecs, on Saturday in Seattle.

Draxler set an indoor personal best in the pole vault by clearing 13 feet, 9 ¾ inches (4.21m) to finish second behind 2016 Olympian Diamara Planell Cruz of Puerto Rico in a jump-off. The top collegian in the loaded meet, Draxler’s 13-09.75 is the best in the MW this year, sixth-best mark in Aztec indoor history and the seventh best in the country this year. It was Draxler’s fifth career MW weekly honor (three times indoor, twice outdoor).

Henderson, meanwhile, was second in the finals of the 60-meter dash in a time of 7.33 seconds, only trailing seven-time long jump world champion Brittany Reese (7.31). The top collegian in an event that featured numerous runners from No. 1 Oregon, the time was the fastest in the MW this season and tied for the eighth fastest in the country this year. Bettering her prelim time of 7.43, Henderson also ran a leg of a 4x400 at the end of the meet. It was Henderson’s first career MW indoor weekly honor and fourth overall (also three outdoor awards).

The Aztecs return to action on Jan. 27 at the New Mexico Team Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M.