STEPHENVILLE – A day after the Tarleton State Men’s Track and Field squad was ranked 20th in the nation, three student-athletes earned the distinction as the WAC Athletes of the Week, the conference office announced on Wednesday.
For the first time this season, the Texans swept the men’s side of the awards. Gabriele Tosti earned the honor of the WAC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week for the second time this outdoor season. Ca’terrin Cox earns his first distinction of his career as the WAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week after his performance in the 110-meter hurdles. Lauren Roy also earns her first weekly honor being tabbed the WAC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week following the first sub-23 second time in the women’s 200 meters in program history.
These honors have pushed the Purple and White to 10 weekly honors this outdoor season and 18 combined between the indoor and outdoor slates. On the women’s side, it is the third time in just five weeks of the outdoor season, the Texans have earned the track athlete of the week. On the men’s side, Tosti earns the Texans’ fourth field of the week honor and is the first male to earn a pair of recognitions this outdoor season. Cox is the first male Texan to win track athlete of the week in the outdoor slate.
Tosti was one of 12 event champions this past weekend at the Joe Gillespie Invitational. The senior won the triple jump and set the new facility record with a best leap of 16.39 meters. He set a new personal best with the leap and now holds the best jump in the WAC. His mark ranks third in the NCAA West Region and third in the entire NCAA.
The Seriate, Italy, native, is the reigning WAC Champion in the outdoor triple jump. He closed his indoor career as the back-to-back conference champion in the triple jump. Tosti concluded his NCAA indoor career earning First Team All-American after a sixth-place performance in the triple jump at the NCAA Indoor National Championships.
Cox turned in the fastest time in the preliminary round of the 110-meter hurdles of the Joe Gillespie Invitational. The Ennis, Texas, native set the new Tarleton State Track Complex record in the hurdles clocking in 13.94 seconds. His best mark of the season now ranks fourth in the conference. His mark is 45th in the NCAA West Region and he need to remain in the top 48 in the region to qualify for the NCAA First Rounds at the end of May.
Roy became the first woman in school history to clock a sub-23 second time in the 200. The senior set the new all-conditions school and facility records while winning the event at the Joe Gillespie Invitational. Roy posted the best 200 time in the WAC this outdoor season and is the only woman in the conference to record a sub-23 second time in the 200. Roy ranks ninth in the NCAA West Region, almost guaranteeing her a spot in the NCAA First Rounds at Texas A&M at the end of May. She also holds the 16th best time in the nation in the 200 this outdoor season. Earlier in the year, her wind-legal mark of 23.27 seconds set the new Ireland national record.
The Texans are the first WAC school since joining the conference in 2020 to be ranked in the Top 25 nationally by the USTFCCCA. The Texan men cracked into the Top 25 last week at number 25 for the first time in program history. This week, the Texans made the second biggest climb within the rankings jumping five spots to be ranked 20th. Tarleton State’s men’s program ranks above three-time national champions, Florida State and five-time national champions and perennial powerhouse, Oregon.
Tarleton State will be back in action this weekend for their final regular season contest of the season. The Texans will travel to SMU on Saturday for the one-day SMU Invite at Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium starting at 9 a.m.
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