June 20, 2012

MILWAUKEE - Junior Durell Busby of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee track & field team has been named the Horizon League Men's Outdoor Athlete of the Year, the league office announced this morning.

Busby becomes the fifth Panther since 2004 to win the league's top award.

"This is a great award for Durell, the UWM track & field team and especially for the University," Milwaukee head coach Pete Corfeld said. "We're all incredibly proud of him. To be named the best athlete for the outdoor season is a testament to Durell's drive and determination to be the best. This is a great award for a top-notch person. We're fortunate to have him in our program and he's a great representative of the athletics department."

Busby had an electrifying season that saw him break the school record in the 110m hurdles an impressive three times, lower the league record once and earn a berth to the NCAA Championships. The junior finished the season 12th in the country in the 110m hurdles, the best finish by any Horizon League athlete, male or female, at nationals.

With that finish at nationals, he earned Second-Team All-American status, becoming the third Division-I All-American in UWM history and the second in the past two years.

While Busby's season with Milwaukee wrapped up last week, he still has a chance to earn a trip to this year's summer Olympics for his home nation of Trinidad & Tobago. He will run in Port of Spain, Trinidad this Saturday trying to earn a trip to London.