SAN FRANCISCO -- Thane Pierson, a senior high jumper at Washington State University, has been named the Pac-12 Men's Field Athlete of the Week for April 25-May 1.
Pierson, from Naches, Wash., cleared a personal-record of 7-feet, 3 inches (2.21m) at the 16th Annual Cougar Invitational Track & Field Meet held April 30 at Mooberry Track in Pullman. His mark is the seventh-best high jump in WSU all-time records and currently tied for sixth-best in the nation and second-best in the Pac-12. Pierson's winning leap came on his third and final attempt at the height. He went on to have three solid attempts but no clearances at 7-4 1/4 (2.24m). Pierson surpassed his earlier PR of 7-2 1/2, achieved April 2 at the Sam Adams Classic at Whitworth. He eclipsed the meet record of 6-10 3/4 (2.10m) set by WSU's Matt Alverson in 2001.
This is the first Athlete of the Week honor for a Cougar this season. Other Pac-12 student-athletes honored were: Izaic Yorks, UW, men's track; Olivia Baker, Stanford, women's track; and Valarie Allman, Stanford, women's field. For the complete Pac-12 release, please see attached PDF.