University of Texas swimmer Lydia Jacoby was named our Alaska Athlete of the Week after logging another standout performance at the Big 12 Championships in Morgantown, W.V.
The sophomore from Seward outkicked the lead pack to win the women’s 100-yard breaststroke to defend her title in a time of 57.27 seconds.
The Olympic gold medalist broke her own meet record of 57.29 set last season. Her time also set a pool record.
The next day she won the 200 breast after posting a season-best and A-cut time of 2:05.58 to sweep the breaststroke events at the Big 12 Championships for the second year in a row.
Also receiving votes:
- Teslin Brannan – The high school senior from Salcha continued to raise the bar for prep pole vaulting, clearing 11 feet, 0.25 inches at the IceBreaker #4 meet at The Dome. The height is currently the highest known mark by an Alaska woman.
- Galen Brantley III – The Soldotna native placed third at the NAIA Indoor Championships in the shot put, throwing a personal best of 55 feet, 7.5 inches. The Dickinson State junior improved his program record and collected his second All-American honor.
- Max Helgeson – The high scoring junior forward for the UAA hockey team logged three goals and six assists to lead the Seawolves to sweep of Stonehill. Helgeson leads the Seawolves on the season in goals and points and ranks second in assists.
- McKinley Hoff – The senior goaltender from Anchorage propelled Nazareth University’s women’s hockey team into the NCAA Division III Championships with Saturday’s 32 saves in a 2-1 win over Utica. Hoff was voted tourney MVP.
- Jason Lorig – The Ketchikan High School senior earned a Bronze medal in the 60 meters at the 2024 STCU West Coast HS Indoor Track & Field Championships in Spokane, Washington. Lorig’s time of 6.79 seconds now ranks 1st in the Pacific Northwest and 18th nationally in high school.
- Sullivan Menard – The Whitworth University men’s basketball player out of Colony High averaged 21.5 points in two NCAA Division III Tournament games. Menard forced an OT with a late 3-pointer in a first round win and scored 27 points in a second round two-point loss.
- Rusty Osborne – The 20-year UAA men’s basketball coach guided his team to an 84-78 come-from-behind win over league-leading Montana State Billings in the season finale to clinch a playoff spot in the GNAC Tournament. The Seawolves improved to 20-9, the program’s seventh 20-win season under Osborne.
The Alaska Athlete of the Week is selected by a panel each Monday
Have a candidate in mind? Email us your nomination: info@alaskasportshall.org.