FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Monday, March 27, 2017 Zook zooms to 3rd GNAC weekly honor
Breaking two more school records last week, Sam Zook earns his third GNAC Player of the Week honor of the 2016-17 season. PORTLAND, Ore. – Breaking two more school records at Montana State University Billings’ first outdoor meet of the season last weekend, junior sprinter Sam Zook has been named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Week for the third time this year announced the conference office Monday. “We are excited for Sam to again win this weekly honor,” said MSUB head coach Dave Coppock. “He put together two outstanding races last weekend at Montana State. It wasn’t so much about how fast he ran this week, but more about how relaxed he looked doing it. I had to double-take when I looked at my stopwatch.” Zook blazed his way to the school record in both the 100-meters and 200-meters, and won both heats in the dual meet with the Bobcats. He ran a 10.68 in the 100 to better Rory Bauer’s mark of 10.87 set in 2013. He followed with a 21.61 in the 200-meters, topping another one of Bauer’s records which was 21.74.
Facing a field of NCAA Division 1 competition didn’t phase Zook. “It’s pretty encouraging how easy he made it look, especially this early in the season,” said Coppock. “I’m really anxious to see how our men’s 4x400 meter relay does this year with Sam on the anchor.” Zook earned GNAC Player of the week for Jan. 16-22 after breaking his own record in the 60-meter hurdles with the eighth-fastest time in the GNAC at 6.90. He then earned the weekly honor again for Feb. 6-12, after lowering the mark by posting a 6.85 for the fourth-fastest time in conference history. Zook’s 10.71 is the fastest in the GNAC so far this outdoor season, and is 0.10 seconds off the NCAA Division II provisional mark of 10.61. His 200 also stands as the top outdoor mark early on, and it is 0.18 seconds shy of the national provisional qualifying mark. Zook and the Yellowjackets next compete this Saturday at the Tom Benich Invitational in Greeley, Colo. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--