CHAMPAIGN, ILL. – The Big Ten Conference announced this morning that Fighting Illini hurdler Pedrya Seymour has been named Big Ten Track Athlete of the Week. The sophomore garners the honor after winning the 60m hurdles at this past weekend's Orange & Blue Open with an 8.27 time that tied her personal-record. It is Seymour's first time receiving the honor, while it's the second time an Illini has been recognized this season.

A Nassau, Bahamas native, Pedrya Seymour is in her second season with the Orange and Blue. After clocking a season-best 8.59 time at Big Ten Indoor Championships last year, Seymour has shaved over 30 seconds off that mark entering this weekend's Big Ten Indoor Championships. She opened the season with back-to-back 8.41 performances at home, winning the event at the Illini Classic. However, the second-year Illini's accent began two weeks ago at the Iowa State Classic. In Ames, Seymour set a personal-record in the 60m hurdles prelims (8.34), and then followed it up with an 8.27 time in the finals to finish second. Seymour concluded the regular season with an event title in the 60m hurdles, matching her 8.27 time from the week prior. 

The Orange and Blue compete at Big Ten Indoor Championships this Friday and Saturday in Geneva, Ohio. The live stream of the meet can be found on btn2go.com, while complete coverage of the event can be found on fightingillini.com and through Twitter by following @IlliniWTrack.