Schweizer Named SEC Co-Runner of the Week after Drake Relays Performance
5/1/2018 1:36:00 PM | Track & Field
Schweizer was named the Drake Relays Most Outstanding Performer after wins in the 5000m run, DMR
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Following a stand out performance in her home state, Mizzou senior Karissa Schweizer (Urbandale, Iowa) was named the Southeastern Conference Co-Runner of the Week, announced by the league Tuesday. Schweizer was named the Women's Most Outstanding Performer at the Drake Relays (April 26-28) following event wins in the 5000m run and distance medley relay.
The SEC Runner of the Week nod is the first of the 2018 outdoor season for Schweizer, and the eighth overall in her career.
Running on the Blue Oval, a track she is extremely familiar with from her days at nearby Dowling Catholic High School, Schweizer set the Drake Relays 5000m run meet record on Thursday evening as she crossed the finish line at 15:23.31. Her time is the fastest time ran in the NCAA this season, and the fourth-fastest in the world in 2018. Schweizer followed up her 5K performance on the track by anchoring the Mizzou distance medley relay team which took home the white flag Saturday with a time of 11:07.59. Schweizer ran a 4:32.19 mile split and elevated the Tigers from fourth to first for the victory.
Although she has only taken the track four times during the 2018 outdoor season, each time has been historical for the five-time NCAA Champion. Schweizer began her outdoor season by making her collegiate debut in the 10,000m run at the Stanford Invitational (March 30), where she set the school record with an NCAA-leading time of 32:00.55. The Tiger senior then set her sixth school record at the Tom Botts Invitational (April 20), where she edged out professional runner Megan Mansy in the 1500m run with a time of 4:12.83, a time which ranks eighth in the NCAA in 2018.
Schweizer and the Tigers begin postseason competition next week with the SEC Outdoor Championships, May 11-13 in Knoxville, Tenn. She will be looking to improve on her seven conference titles, which matches Sabrina Dornhoefer for the most conference titles in program history among females.
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