Nelson's school record and two golds earns second straight KJCCC Field Athlete of the Week honor

For the second straight week, Ricky Nelson of the third ranked Barton Community College men's track and field team has been awarded the male KJCCC Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week following his performance last week at the West Texas A&M Classic in Canyon, Texas.

The University of Tennessee signee shattered the school record in the discus surpassing the 56.43m throw recorded by Max Alonso in the 2010 season.  Nelson not only broke the school record once, he did it twice by surpassing the mark on his second 57.12m throw before the Illinois sophomore's fifth attempt exceeded Alonso's throw by 1.72m in landing at 58.15m which is also the top effort in the NJCAA.  Nelson also won his second event of the weekend, marking the nation's fifth best hammer throw with a new personal best 54.04m.

All around it was the best performance of the 2017 season for the Cougars in capturing the 6th Annual event.  Barton won eight events in the two day competition within its twenty-five Top-8 placings against the mostly four-year competition, compiling 176 points to edge host and NCAA Division II No. 17 ranked WTAMU's 169.  The Cougars also had twenty-three performances that exceeded the national qualifying standard while recording twenty new personal best efforts.

Nelson and the Cougars will be in Wichita today and Friday competing in the KT Woodman Classic at Cessna Stadium.