Posted: October 18, 2005

Athletics: McDougal named USATF Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS - Josh McDougal has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after he set a course record Saturday at the Pre-National Meet on the LaVern Gibson Championship Course at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center in Terre Haute, Indiana.

McDougal (So., Peru, N.Y.) finished in 23 minutes, 12.6 seconds to better the previous record by 28 seconds, which was set earlier in the day during the Blue Race by BYU's Josh Rohatinsky. The 2004 World Junior Championships member, McDougal also improved his Big South Conference mark of 23.49 set last year. Only a sophomore, McDougal set a total of six course records and has won 11 out of 12 races since competing for Liberty University.

Now in its fifth year, USATF's Athlete of the Week program is designed to recognize outstanding performers at all levels of the sport. USATF names a new honoree each week and features the athlete on the USATF website. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week.

2005 USATF Athlete of the Week Winners:
January 4, Amy Rudolph; January 11, Dathan Ritzenhein; January 18, Janine Davis; January 25, Wallace Spearmon Jr.; February 1, Erin Gilreath; February 8, LaShawn Merritt; February 15, LaShawn Merritt; February 22, Walter Davis; March 1, Angela Daigle; March 8, Gov. Mike Huckabee; March 15, Kerron Clement; March 22, Lauren Fleshman; March 29, Deena Kastor; April 5, Deena Kastor; April 12, Tianna Madison; April 19 Alan Culpepper; April 26, John Godina; May 3, Amy Rudolph; May 10, Galen Rupp; May 17, Erica McLain; May 24, John Godina; June 1, Walter Dix; June 8, Justin Gatlin; June 15, Darold Williamson; June 23, Willie Gault; June 28, Kerron Clement; July 6, Ebony Collins; July 12, Sanya Richards; July 19, Galen Rupp; July 28, Wallace Spearmon Jr.; August 2, Ryan Whiting; August 9; Adam Nelson, August 16; Justin Gatlin; August 23, Sanya Richards; August 30, Bernard Lagat; September 6, Abdi Abdirahman; September 13, Allyson Felix; September 20, Deena Kastor; September 27, Colleen De Reuck; October 4, Ryan Shay; October 11, Deena Kastor; October 18, Josh McDougal.