Ruff and Say named Big Sky track and field athletes of the week

Pair of Eagles earn weekly honor after clearing conference-leading marks in California

Cheney Free Press

CHENEY — Eastern Washington University’s Hally Ruff and Bobby Say have each been named Big Sky Conference Track & Field Athletes of the Week for the week ending April 16, as announced by the conference on Monday afternoon.

It is the second such honor for both Eagle student-athletes this season after both received the same recognition during the indoor season.

Ruff, a pole vaulter out of Walla Walla, Wash. in her fifth season of competition as an Eagle, set a new personal best over the weekend, clearing 4.07 meters (13’ 4.25”) to earn 10th at the Beach Invitational meet at Long Beach State University in Southern California.

The mark sits atop the Big Sky’s 2023 outdoor performance list, ranks 43rd in NCAA Division I this season and places Ruff at 7th in EWU’s all-time records. Ruff finished third at the Big Sky Indoor Championships earlier this year; teammate Savannah Schultz won the event.

Say also took advantage of the opportunity in California to set new career marks and push his way up the Big Sky list. On Thursday at the Pacific Coast Invitational, he finished 4th in the long jump at 7.51 meters (24’ 7.75”), good for 2nd in the Big Sky this season, 64th in NCAA D-I and 5th all-time by an Eagle.

He followed that up with a monster triple jump at the Beach Invitational on Saturday, clearing 15.61 meters (51’ 2.75”) which ranks 1st in the Big Sky and 31st in NCAA D-I, as well as 5th in EWU history. Say won the triple jump and finished 4th in the long jump at the conference indoor championships in February.

The Eagles have less than a month before the 2023 Big Sky Outdoor Championships on May 10-13 in Greeley, Colo.