IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa senior Laulauga Tausaga has been named Big Ten Women’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Year, the conference announced Tuesday.
Tausaga is the first Hawkeye in school history to earn the honor.
“Laulauga winning B1G Ten Women’s Field Athlete of the Year hits a bit differently this year,” said Coach Eric Werskey. “Laulauga didn’t come off her 2019 Season until October due to competing at the World Championships. Despite the condensed training segments leading into the 2020, her goals were set very high. She was executing each competition really well and building the season how we planned it. The way she trusted her process blew me away. Her trust and maturity were on a greater level this year and she trusted it despite some bumps and bruises physically.”
Throughout her senior season, Tausaga was named to the 2020 Bowerman Preseason Watchlist, the first Hawkeye to achieve this. After earning gold at the Big Ten Indoor Championships in the weight throw, Tausaga was named B1G Indoor Female Field Athlete of the Championships. She also earned USTFCCCA Indoor Midwest Regional Female Field Athlete of the Year for the second-straight year.
In the 2020 indoor season, she earned B1G Women’s Field Event Athlete of the Week twice. Tausaga broke her own school record in the shot put (17.96m) at the Meyo Invite on Feb. 7. She contributed a total of 18 points at the Big Ten Indoor Championships placing first in the weigh throw and second in the shot put.
“She has accomplished so much and certainly has a very bright future in this sport,” said Werskey. “However, the way 2020 unfolded will have this award standing out for a long time and I know without a doubt that she and the entire Hawkeye Team will not take 2021 for granted!”
Tausaga is the fifth Hawkeye this season to earn conference player of the year honors, along with Kathleen Doyle, Luka Garza, Spencer Lee, and Wayne Lawrence.
