From <A HREF="http://www.SMUMustangs.com:" TARGET=_blank>www.SMUMustangs.com:</A>
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Sara Nordenstam named WAC Athlete of the Week
Freshman leads Ponies with three victories against Rice, Houston
SMU’s women's swimmer Sara Nordenstam has been named the Western Athletic Conference swimming and diving Athlete of the Week. The announcement was made by the league office on Monday.
Nordenstam, a freshman from Oslo, Norway, picked up three wins last weekend in Dallas, winning three individual events total against Rice and Houston. Against Rice, Nordenstam won early in the 400 IM, winning the event by nearly four seconds over the second-place finisher with a time of 4:15.93.
She also grabbed first in the 200 breaststroke, landing the second-best time in the WAC this season, with at mark of 2:15.61. Against Houston, she won the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:04.71. She won all three events she competed in over the weekend.
Additional nominees included: Yan Chen, Hawai‘i; Devon Owen, Nevada; Elaine Lee, Rice; Charlotte Pierce, San Jose State.
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Pukstas named WAC Athlete Of The Week
Runner earns SMU's third straight conference honor
Jan. 27, 2003
DENVER (WAC) -- SMU’s Mindi Pukstas has been named the Western Athletic Conference Men’s Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Week, the conference announced today.
Pukstas, a junior from Kaunas, Lithuania, set a school and meet record with a time of 7:59.06 in the 3,000 meters, taking first at the Iowa State Classic. He broke the old school mark by over three seconds and provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships.
The WAC has awarded three Athlete of the Week awards this season, with all three being swept by SMU. Dalibor Balgac (Jan. 13) and Einar Hjartarsorn (Jan. 20) have also earned the honor in 2003. SMU has also won one of the two awards handed out to a women's athlete in 2003, with LaVada Hill winning on Jan. 20.
Additional nominees included Adam Davis of Rice, Henderson Dottin of UTEP and Tulsa's Justin Rempel.
Up next for the Mustang Track & Field team is the Oklahoma Invite, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 in Norman.