Ruth Usoro has been named the Big 12 Conference’s Women’s Performer of the Year.
The announcement comes as little surprise, especially after the incredible way she defended her titles in the long and triple jump at last week’s conference meet.
“When you take a step back and really put Ruth’s performance [this season] into perspective,” said associate head coach James Thomas.
“It’s mind blowing. I am sure Ruth wants no part of all this credit and attention, but it is becoming increasingly more difficult to avoid this recognition that is so well-deserved.”
Usoro was a unanimous selection as the top female in the Big 12 this season. It seemed to be an obvious choice to bestow the honour upon Usoro, who this week was also named the Mountain Region Field Athlete of the Year, both before and after the Big 12 Championships.
Usoro, who has also been a member of both of the watch lists for The Bowerman thus far, has held the world lead in the triple jump and currently sits top-five in the world in both the triple and the long jumps.
What clinched the award for Usoro was her incredible title defense at last week’s Big 12 Championships. It began on the first day, where she landed the 11th-best long jump mark in NCAA history to come from behind and claim gold.
On the second day, her 14.36m mark in the triple jump marked the second-best distance in NCAA history and completed the horizontal jumps sweep.
For the 20-point performance, she was named High Point Scorer for the second straight year.
Usoro is the second Tech woman to be named the Big 12 Performer of the Year and first since Sally Kipyego swept the award from 2007-2008.
