WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, the BIG EAST Conference announced that Georgetown University's Tinoda Matsatsa was named BIG EAST Male Track Athlete of the Week and Melissa Riggins was named BIG EAST Female Track Athlete of the Week. Matsatsa set a new BU facility record in the men's 800m at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational, posting an impressive 1:45.21 to climb to No. 3 on the NCAA all-time list. Melissa Riggins made her mark in the women's mile, recording a 4:24.98—the fifth-fastest collegiate indoor mile.

Head Coach Alton McKenzie
"Amazing weekend for the Hoyas and well deserved Big East honors for both Melissa & Tinoda being recognized as the Track Athletes of the Week for the Conference.  Congratulations to both on this tremendous achievement. Excited to see their progress through the rest of the season."

Assistant Coach Mitchell Baker 
"Melissa has methodically put together a Mile race that's more-and-more complete in increasingly dynamic scenarios; the many small steps before this weekend set the table for a rather large breakthrough in terms of time, and her competitiveness did the rest in putting a stamp on the NCAA history books."

Assistant Coach Brandon Bonsey
"Tinoda executed an excellent race on Friday and is certainly deserving of this award. He not only is the 3rd fastest collegiate of all time but he's now the 5th fastest American ever at the indoor 800. That was an historic performance especially for someone who is only 20 years old."

Tinoda Matsatsa | So. | Boyds, Md. | Middle Distance/Distance

• The award comes after Matsatsa set a new BU facility record in the men's 800m, clocking 1:45.21 to rise to No. 3 on the NCAA all-time list.
• This is the third time Matsatsa has earned the BIG EAST Male Athlete of the Week honor this season.
• For Matsatsa's first BE Male Track Athlete of the Week, he shattered the school record in the men's mile with an impressive time of 3:54.15, securing a second-place finish at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener.
• For Matsatsa's second BE Male Track Athlete of the Week, he broke his own NCAA Indoor Track & Field 1000m record with a time of 2:16.84 at the Nittany Lion Challenge on January 18. His previous record was almost exactly a year apart, coming on January 19, 2024, where he posted a time of 2:18.05 at the Hokie Invitational.

Melissa Riggins | Sr. | Wexford, Pa. | Middle Distance/Distance

• Riggins recorded the fifth-fastest collegiate indoor mile in history, finishing in 4:24.98.
• This is the first time Riggins has earned the BIG EAST Female Athlete of the Week honor this season.

UP NEXT

GU will head to the Terrier DMR Challenge hosted by Boston University on February 21. A link to live stats will be available on GUHoyas.com.