NCAA

Howell Named Big Ten Indoor Track Athlete of the Year

Howell Named Big Ten Indoor Track Athlete of the Year


CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois track and field National Champion Olivia Howell has been named the 2023 Women’s Big Ten Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. She is the first to win this award since Ashley Spencer in 2013. This honor comes after she became the first women’s Indoor National Champion since Angela Bizzarri in 2010 (3,000m).

Howell ran a new facility record of 4:34.00 in the mile to earn her first Indoor National Champion Title. This is her second-consecutive year being an All-American in the indoor mile as well. She won every mile race she ran this season at four meets. This includes her third consecutive Big Ten Indoor Mile title (4:35.48). At the Meyo Invitational she narrowly missed breaking her school record of 4:33.75 by .03 seconds (4:33.77).

“Olivia has developed nicely into a championship contender this year and we as a staff are extremely proud of her,” said Director of Track, Field and Cross Country Petros Kyprianou. “She has represented Illinois with pride and led the way in both conference and NCAA Championships. She is building her brand the right way by leading on and off the track and the team needs that. This is just the beginning of a wonderful athletic journey for Olivia and we are her biggest fans!”

Howell accomplished more than just top mile finishes this season. She set a new personal-best 800m at the Don Kirby Elite Invitational (2:04.03) and won that event as well. She was on the 4×400 team also in this meet and they finished first. She anchored the DMR team at the Big Ten Championships that finished third on the program’s third best time (11:13.87).

“Olivia was outstanding at the Big Ten and NCAA Championships,” said Cross Country/Distance Head Coach Sarah Haveman. “She raced every race with poise and high-level execution which is what is necessary to have success at those levels. We are very proud of how she represents our program.”

CLICK HERE to Read the Full Original Article at University of Illinois Athletics…