South Dakota freshman Chris Nilsen has been named the Summit League Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Week for the period ended April 16.

This marks his seventh weekly Summit honor and second of the outdoor season. 

Nilsen tied for the NCAA lead in the pole vault after clearing 18 feet, 8 ¼ inches, twice over the weekend at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate and the Beach Invitational. The height is also the qualifying standard for the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London this summer. 

The freshman out of Kansas City, Mo., broke his own South Dakota outdoor pole vault record and then matched it two days later. Nilsen tops the Summit League by more than two feet and is ranked third in the world (IAAF).