WALTHAM, Mass. – Brandeis University junior Doyin Ogundiran of Dix Hills, N.Y., has been named the University Athletic Association (UAA) Women's Track Athlete of the Week for the week ending January 14th.
Ogundiran was honored for her performances at Brandeis's lone home meet of the season, the 2018 Reggie Poyau Memorial Invitational on Saturday afternoon. Ogundiran won the 800-meter run with a time of 2:20.14, the top-ranked time in NCAA Division III so far this season. She edged teammate Leinni Valdez of Providence, R.I., whose runner-up time of 2:21.16 is the fourth-ranked time in Division III. In addition to their performances in the 800m, Ogundiran and Valdez teamed up with sophomore Lydia Harris of Damariscotta, Maine and Valdez's twin sister Lisbeth Valdez to win the 1,600-meter relay with a time of 4:14.03, currently the 32nd-ranked time in Division III. The Brandeis team, with Ogundiran running the anchor leg, finished 10 seconds ahead of second-place Bentley University.
This is the second career UAA Athlete of the Week honor for Ogundiran. She is in search of her second career berth at the NCAA Division III Championships, after finishing 16th in the nation in the 800m at last spring's outdoor championships.
The Brandeis women's track and field team, ranked 14th in last week's preseason poll by the United States Track and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), returns to action this Sunday at the Greater Boston Track Club Invitational at Harvard.
Ogundiran is a 2015 graduate of Half Hollow Hills East High School.
Leinni and Lisbeth Valdez are 2017 graduates of Hope High School.
Harris is a 2016 graduate of Lincoln Academy.
For more information on Brandeis University women's track and field, please visit our home page at http://www.brandeisjudges.com/sports/wtrack/.