Lauren Gregory, Katie Izzo share SEC Runner of the Week honor

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Arkansas distance runner Katie Izzo and Lauren Gregory shared SEC Runner of the Week honors the conference office announced. Each produced a victory during the Razorback Invitational and then finished second to each other in another race.

Izzo broke a 20-year-old meet record in the 5,000m during Friday evening while Gregory produced the second fastest time in school history as runner-up. In posting a time of 15:36.22 Izzo knocked nearly 20 seconds off the 15:55.43 meet record set by Razorback Lilli Kleinmann in 2001.

Gregory set a career best of 15:36.51 and only trails the 15:13.09 school record set by Izzo in December of 2019. Other sub-16-minute times by Razorbacks on the Arkansas indoor all-time list Gregory moved ahead of include Amy Yoder Begley (15:46.89), Diane Robinson (15:50.88), Deena Drossin (15:52.80), Kleinmann (15:55.43) and Devin Clark (15:59.09).

Izzo and Gregory are currently first and second on the 2021 world list for the 5,000m distance.

On Saturday, Gregory claimed the mile in a collegiate leading 4:35.69 while Izzo finished second in 4:37.07. Both have faster times that place them on the Arkansas all-time list, with Gregory No. 3 (4:32.92) and Izzo No. 8 (4:35.03).

Gregory’s mile effort is the collegiate leader over a 4:35.80 by BYU’s Courtney Wayment while Izzo ranks third for the indoor season. On the current world list, Gregory is sixth and Izzo seventh.

SEC Indoor Track and Field Weekly Honors – Feb. 2, 2021

Co-Men’s Runner of the Week: Bryce Deadmon, Texas A&M

Co-Men’s Runner of the Week: Matthew Boling, Georgia

Men’s Field Athlete of the Week: JuVaughn Harrison, LSU

Men’s Freshman of the Week: Sean Dixon-Bodie, LSU

Co-Women’s Runner of the Week: Katie Izzo, Arkansas

Co-Women’s Runner of the Week: Lauren Gregory, Arkansas

Women’s Field Athlete of the Week: Tyra Gittens, Texas A&M

Women’s Freshman of the Week: Monique Hardy, LSU