COLLEGE PARK, MD – After winning the shot put in the season-opening meet, Maryland’s Simone Cooper has been named the Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Freshman of the Week as announced by the league office on Wednesday.
The Middletown, Del., native opened her collegiate career at the Navy Invitational by winning the shot put with a mark of 13.30 meters. She hit that mark on her first attempt of the day and was the only competitor to surpass the 13-meter mark. She won the event by nearly half a meter.
Since Maryland joined the Big Ten, Cooper becomes the fourth Terp to earn a weekly indoor track and field honor. She is the first weekly honoree since Angel Nkwonta was the Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week in 2020-21. Olympic Gold medalist Thea LaFrond was the first weekly honoree for Maryland in 2014-15 with Amber Melville also being recognized that same season.
Cooper was one of five Terps who won events, while setting three records for Maryland at the Navy Invitational held in the Wesley A. Brown Field House.
Armanie Coleman set a new program record in the 200 meters with a time of 23.69 seconds which also set a new Brown Field House record. Chioma Njoku won the weight throw (20.66m) which was also a new facility standard.
Samantha Payne won the 500 meters (1:13.57) which stands as the fourth-fastest mark in Maryland history, while Katerina Talanova won the 1,000 meters in 2 minutes, 56.45 seconds.
Maryland will return to action in the New Year at the Nittany Lion Challenge hosted by Penn State on Saturday, January 18 in State College, PA.
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