Walker, Neilson Named Pac-12 All-Century
June 02, 2016 | Track & Field
SEATTLE - A week following Husky Hall of Famer Aretha Thurmond's inclusion on the women's team, two more UW Hall of Famers were named to the Pac-12 All-Century Men's Track & Field Team, as Brad Walker and Scott Neilson were chosen for the elite honor.
This team was voted on by a panel of 35 consisting of coaches, former athletes, administrators and members of the media. The top two vote getters in each of the 19 events automatically qualified for the squad. The remaining 12 spots, in addition to ties, were selected from a wildcard ballot consisting of the third, fourth and fifth place vote getters in each event.
Walker and Neilson were both one of just two selections in the pole vault and hammer throw, respectively, from the conference's 100 year history.
One of the most decorated athletes in NCAA history, Neilson was a winner of seven individual NCAA titles, sweeping the hammer throw from 1976-79 and winning the weight throw indoors from 1977-79. The native Canadian from British Columbia was four-for-four in Pac-10 hammer throws, winning from 1976-79. He qualified for the 1980 Olympic Games for Canada but did not compete due to international boycott, and also won gold at the 1979 Pan Am Games. In 1978, Neilson set the collegiate record with a throw of 238-8 and set the NCAA meet record the same year with his toss of 237-5. He was inducted into the Husky Hall of Fame in 1986.
Walker will be joining the Husky Hall of Fame this fall. The current American record-holder in the pole vault, Walker set that bar at 19-9 ¾ in 2008. He was a two-time U.S. Olympian in 2008 and 2012. The Spokane, Wash. native also won the 2007 World Outdoor Championships gold medal, winning at 19-2 ¾ and captured the 2006 World Indoor Championships gold. He was a nine-time U.S. Champion, winning five outdoor titles and four indoor titles and a two-time NCAA Indoor Champion for the Dawgs in 2003 and 2004. Walker was ranked No. 1 in the U.S. by Track & Field News five times and ranked in the top-10 every year from 2002-2015. He is now in his first year as an assistant track & field coach at Washington State.
