OSU's Fernandez Voted Big 12 Outdoor Track Performer Of The Year Cowboy freshman sweeps conference's top honors this year, as he was the cross country individual champion and was named Outstanding Performer of the Year during the indoor season as well.

May 21, 2009

STILLWATER, Okla. - Oklahoma State's German Fernandez added to his growing list of accomplishments as he was named the 2009 Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Outstanding Performer of the Year and Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Outstanding Freshman of the Year in a vote of conference coaches announced today.

The award gives the true freshman a clean sweep of all the Big 12's major honors this year, as Fernandez was the Big 12 Individual Cross Country Champion and was honored as the Big 12 Outstanding Performer of the Year and the Outstanding Freshman of the Year during the indoor season as well. Additionally, he was honored as the NCAA Midwest Region Indoor Athlete of the Year.

Fernandez is only the third freshman to ever be named Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Outstanding Performer of the Year, joining Baylor's Brandon Couts - 1998 and Texas' Brendan Christian - 2003. He is the first Cowboy ever to receive the recognition.

"I'm actually speechless about this and don't know what to say," Fernandez said. "I have to thank Dave Smith and the Oklahoma State coaching staff and all of my teammates for helping me get to this level. What really makes this special to me is the fact that there are so many great athletes in the Big 12 who are deserving of this kind of recognition. It's a huge honor."

Fernandez was the 2009 Big 12 outdoor champion in the 1,500 meters and in the 5,000 meters. He competed in only three races during the outdoor slate, but made the most of those races, setting a new school record in the 5,000 meters with a 13:31.78 at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif., and winning conference crowns with a 3:42.80 in the 1,500 meters and a 14:21.05 in the 5,000 meters. His 3:42.80 in the 1,500 meters at the Big 12 Championships in Lubbock set a new Fuller Track record and was more than eight seconds faster than the second-place finisher. Additionally, that mark stands as the fourth-fastest time in school history and the fastest since 2000. In winning both the 1,500 meters and the 5,000 meters at Big 12s, Fernandez became the first Cowboy since James Butler in 1980 to win two individual conference outdoor titles the same year.

"This is a great honor for German and it's a testament to the kind of work he puts in and the dedication he has," OSU coach Dave Smith said. "He is passionate about the sport and has done wonders for Oklahoma State. I have spoken to athletes and coaches from all over the world and they know exactly who German is and who Oklahoma State is mainly because of German. We're proud of him and proud of what he has accomplished and what he continues to accomplish."

The Riverbank, Calif., native has enjoyed tremendous success this year, winning Big 12 championships in cross country, the indoor mile, the indoor 3,000 meters and the outdoor 1,500 meters and 5,000 meters. He set new Oklahoma State school records in the mile, the 3,000 meters and the 5,000 meters.

During the indoor season, Fernandez set a new NCAA record in the mile with a 3:55.02 at the Big 12 Championships. The previous record was a hand-timed 3:55.00, but when the standard conversion of +0.24 seconds is added on to that mark, Fernandez's time stands alone as the fastest ever run by a collegian and was so dominant at the Big 12 meet that he beat the second-place finisher by more than 10 seconds. Already proven as the nation's top miler, Fernandez was nearly as dominant in the 3,000 meters, where he ran a blistering 7:47.97 at the Husky Invitational in Seattle on Feb. 14 for the second-fastest time in the nation. Only Oregon's Galen Rupp, a 2008 U.S. Olympian, ran a faster time in the event during the season. Fernandez would have been the prohibitive favorite to win the NCAA title in the mile and would likely have been at or near the top of the heap in the 3,000 meters as well had he competed at the NCAA Indoor Championships, but he elected instead to train for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Amman, Jordan, which took place just 14 days after the NCAA Championships.

In cross country, Fernandez clocked a 23:47.38 at the conference meet to win the race by more than five seconds. In doing so, he became Oklahoma State's first-ever Big 12 individual champion and only the fifth conference cross country individual champion in school history, joining Big Eight champs Miles Eisenman - 1959, Chris McCubbins - 1966 and John Halberstadt - 1972 and 1973. Fernandez placed 11th at the World Junior Cross Country Championships in Amman, Jordan, where he was the first American and the first non-African to cross the finish line at the event. He won his second consecutive USA Track and Field junior cross country championship by clocking a 23:20 that was 19 seconds better than the second-place finisher. Fernandez was in position for a top-three finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships with only about 1,500 meters remaining before he crumpled to the ground with an injury to his lower leg that forced him to not finish the race.

Fernandez's next action comes at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships in Norman May 29-30 and then at the NCAA Championships June 10-12 in Fayetteville.

German Fernandez 2008-09 Highlights

2008 Big 12 Individual Cross Country Champion

2008 Cross Country All-Midwest Region Performer

2009 USA Track and Field Junior Cross Country National Champion

2009 Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Outstanding Performer of the Year

2009 Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Outstanding Freshman of the Year

2009 NCAA Midwest Region Indoor Outstanding Performer of the Year

2009 Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Outstanding Performer of the Year

2009 Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Outstanding Freshman of the Year

2009 Big 12 Indoor Champion in the mile

2009 Big 12 Indoor Champion in the 3,000 meters

2009 Big 12 Outdoor Champion in the 1,500 meters

2009 Big 12 Outdoor Champion in the 5,000 meters