COLUMBIA, Mo. - Mizzou Track & Field had their first of SEC Athlete of the Week honorees this week, as freshmen Maya Cody and Matthew Ludwig were both recognized for their stellar collegiate career openers during Saturday's Border Battle (January 9).  Released by the conference office on Tuesday, January 12, the awards recognizes the outstanding performances from the weekend prior.  Both Cody and Ludwig landed themselves in the top ten in the SEC, top 15 in the NCAA, for their respective events.

Ludwig was the first highlight out of the weekend's competition, opening the meet with a winning performance in the pole vault.  His final bar of 5.10m (16-8.75) launched him into the Mizzou history books as the No. 3 performer in school history for the event.  He also positioned himself well in the early-season rankings, coming in at No. 3 in the SEC and leading the freshman class.  In the NCAA, that mark currently ranks 12th, and is the second-best mark of the weekend from freshmen performers.

Cody also started her Mizzou career with a winning performance, placing first in the 400m dash with the sixth-fastest time in school history (54.84).  She ranks second in the SEC for the event, fourth in the NCAA, and is currently the top-ranked freshman in the country.  She also put down a record book mark in the 60m dash, hitting 7.54 during the preliminary round to claim the No. 2 spot in Mizzou history.  She is currently ranked ninth overall, second for the freshman class, in the conference for the event.

The Tigers will be back in action on Friday, January 15, for their first of two home meets during the indoor season.  The Missouri Invitational will kick off at 2 p.m. in the Hearnes Center Fieldhouse with the field events, followed by the track event competitions at 3 p.m.  For the latest on Mizzou Track & Field, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter @MIZ_TrackField.