Mada, Gates honored as Big East Field Athletes of the Week

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It’s a double dosage of Blue Demons in the Big East Conference honors list for track and field this week.

In a result that surprised nobody, junior jumper Brian Mada earned Big East Men’s Field Athlete of the Week. Mada won both the long jump and the triple jump at the Illinois Twilight meet on Saturday evening, breaking his own school record in the triple jump with a leap of 15.74 meters. The Zimbabwe native leads the Big East in both events while ranking 17th nationally in the triple jump.

Mada hasn’t lost since the first week of February when he took fourth in the triple jump at the prestigious Meyo Invitational at Notre Dame. He’s a perfect six for six in first place finishes outdoors.

Not to be outdone, freshman thrower Jade Gates also snared two first place finishes in the javelin (47.43 meters) and hammer throws (50.52 meters) at the Illinois Twilight meet to win Big East Women’s Field Athlete of the Week. She currently ranks third in the Big East in the hammer throw and first in the javelin.

The Blue Demons will compete in their only home meet of the season this Saturday at Lane Stadium.