Feb. 24, 2014
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Big Ten Conference announced its weekly awards and a Purdue women's thrower was named for the sixth time this year. Dani Bunch earned the nod after winning the shot put at the Alex Wilson Invitational over the weekend.
Bunch threw 16.49m (54-01.25) to take the top spot in the event and beat the Big Ten's No. 2 thrower, Kyla Buckley of Indiana, by nearly two feet. The award is the seventh of the fifth-year senior's career. That number ties the all-time Big Ten record for athlete of the week awards with former Ohio State Buckeye Christina Manning. Bunch's sixth honor of the year also ties Manning's record for most in one season, though Bunch holds both records for a field athlete, as Manning was a sprinter. Bunch and Manning also share the conference record for most consecutive weeks being named an athlete of the week, as both won the award four-straight times, including Bunch's streak earlier this season.
The Boilermakers wrapped up the regular season with Saturday's Alex Wilson Invite. The teams will travel to Geneva, Ohio, for the Big Ten Championships on Friday and Saturday. Bunch will seek her third Big Ten Title in the weight throw and first in the indoor shot put. She is the conference leader in both events.