South Dakota junior Megan Billington and sophomore Chris Nilsen have been named the Summit League Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week for the period ended Jan. 28.
Billington earned the league’s weekly honor for the first time this season and second time in her career. The junior set a Jack Johnson Classic meet record for 5,000 meters in Minneapolis on Saturday. She clocked 16 minutes, 52.98 seconds, for a new personal best and to rank third all-time on USD’s record book. Billington also sits on top of the Summit standings in the event. A Coyote has won the 5,000 meters at Minnesota for six-straight years dating back to 2013.
Nilsen captured the Summit’s award for the third-straight week this season and 12th time of his career. He has eight career indoor honors which is tied for first all-time in league history. Nilsen vaulted to the 10th-best mark in NCAA indoor history by clearing an indoor best 18-9 ¼. The height bests his own indoor school record and landed him atop the NCAA leaderboards again. The sophomore remains undefeated indoors during his collegiate career, capturing his 11th meet title. Nilsen’s return to competition will be at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on Feb. 10.
