COLUMBIA, Mo.--The Big 12 Conference announced late Wednesday their award winners for the 2005 indoor track and field season as voted on by the leagues' coaches. Among the winners was Tiger Trisa Nickoley who was voted as the Big 12's Indoor Female Freshman Performer of the Year. Nickoley, a native of Tecumseh, Kan., became the first Tiger female to win an individual title as a freshman as she won 800-meter crown. Nickoley was also part of the winning distance medley relay team at last weekend's Big 12 Indoor Championships.

Nickoley was the first freshman Tiger since Christian Cantwell in 2000 to win an individual indoor championship, and the first since Cantwell to win the Freshman of the Year award.

Nickoley was the meet's highest-scoring freshman, gaining the Tigers 12½ points, as she won the 800-meter in 2:09.31 and was a critical part in the Tigers' winning distance medley relay as she put Missouri in the lead from fourth place during her 800-meter leg of the distance medley relay.

Nickoley, already a two-time Big 12 Champion, was part of Team USA that went to Grossetto, Italy, last summer for the World Junior Championships. Nickoley came to Missouri from Shawnee Heights High School as the nations' second-fastest high schooler at 800 meters.

Missouri led the conference with 30 points from its women's middle-distance core. Along with Nickoley winning the gold in the 800-meter, junior Ashley Patten became a two-time Big 12 Champion as she took the crown in the 1000-meter run.

Nickoley currently stands 13^th in the nation in the 800-meter with her season-best time of 2:07.45 from the Iowa State Classic in mid-February. With the spot in the rankings, Nickoley could get into the NCAA Indoor Championships, as an average of 15 competitors in each event is selected. Nickoley along with other middle-distance Tigers are going to the Alex Wilson Invitational this weekend to solidify or better times for their NCAA Championship bid. Nickoley is also on the team's distance medley relay team that stands ninth in the country - an average of 10 to 12 relay teams are chosen each year as well.

Highlights from the meet will be shown on Big 12 Showcase on Friday, at 2:30 p.m., central, on Fox Sports Midwest.

More on the Tigers final chance weekend to qualify for the NCAA Championships will be announced later today or early Friday. For more information, visit mutigers.com.