Sayen earns GLIAC Athlete of the Week
GLIAC - Michigan Tech junior Clayton Sayen (Houghton, Michigan) was named GLIAC Track and Field Athlete of the Week Tuesday by the conference office. Sayen has consistently been the top runner for the Huskies in both cross country and outdoor track this season.
Sayen's closing speed helped him top the Michigan Tech 1500 meter school record for the second time this spring Thursday night at the Drake Relays. He finished in second place amongst a field of 27 with a time of 3:44.33, bested only by Alec Basten of the University of Minnesota (3:43.64). He also upped the NCAA provisional mark he previously set at the Raleigh Relays with the fastest 1500 time of his Husky career, giving himself a good chance to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Sayen's top-five time was quicker than more than a dozen Division I athletes in the field and he picked up six positions over the final leg, a split nearly four seconds faster than his first 1100 meters. Prior to Sayen's races this spring, the previous Tech school record for the 1500 meters was 3:46.53, set by Jani Lane in 2014.
Sayen is the third Husky to earn GLIAC Track and Field Athlete of the Week this spring, joining teammates Ryan Schwiderson (April 5) and Jesse Jacobusse (April 5).
"Clayton is a team captain and a great leader for our younger athletes," said head coach Kristina Owen. "They can see the work that Clayton puts in to get to that elite level every week and he has become a mentor in that way. We are proud of what he has accomplished so far and excited he is coming back for one more year as well."
In the fall, Sayen won the Roy Griak Invitational 8K in cross country with a time of 25:17.7 and helped MTU place 24th at the NCAA Division II Championships in Saint Leo, Florida.
Michigan Tech Track and Field travels to Grand Valley State Wednesday to compete in the GLIAC Outdoor Championships, a three-day event in Allendale, Michigan.