NEWARK, DE -- University of Delaware freshman men's indoor track and field weight throw John Viotto (at right) has been named the Wilmington Trust Best of the Blue Hens Athlete of the Week for the period ending Jan. 21.

Viotto, a freshman from Dayton, NJ (South Brunswick High School) who is enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences at Delaware, posted another outstanding performance Saturday as he was Delaware's top finish at the John Covert Classic at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA.

Viotto placed third in the shot put with a toss of 49-9 to lead the Blue Hen men to a seventh place team finish.

In his young career, he has already placed second in the shot put in his collegiate debut at the Jack Pyrah Invitational, won the shot put at the Delaware Invitational, was Delaware's top finish at the Penn State Open with a fifth place toss in the shot put. He already holds the UD freshman record in the event with a toss of 50-10 1/4 at Penn State.

Delaware will host the annual Thomson Invitational this Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Delaware Field House.

Past Winners:

2007-08 Season
Jan. 28 - John Viotto (Men's Indoor Track & Field)
Jan. 21 - Kelli McDonald (Women's Indoor Track & Field)
Jan. 14 - Herb Courtney (Men's Basketball)
Jan. 7 - Andrew Zinn (Men's Swimming & Diving)
Dec. 31 - Kyle DeHaven (Women's Basketball)
Dec. 24 - Alphonso Dawson (Men's Basketball)
Dec. 16 - Mark Duncan (Football)
Dec. 9 - Joe Flacco (Football)
Dec. 2 - Maryann Walker (Women's Swimming)
Nov. 26 - Omar Cuff (Football)
Nov. 19 - Megan Welch (Volleyball)
Nov. 12 - Kyle DeHaven (Women's Basketball)
Nov. 5 - Sobhan Tadjalli (Men's Soccer)
Oct. 29 - Christina Antonopoulos (Women's Cross Country)
Oct. 22 - Emily Sammis (Women's Soccer)
Oct. 15 - Omar Cuff (Football)
Oct. 8 - Kyle Schmid (Men's Cross Country)
Oct. 1 - Colleen Walsh (Volleyball)
Sept. 23 - Nolan Greenberg (Men's Tennis)
Sept. 16 - Joe Flacco (Football)
Sept. 9 - Jason Bernstein (Golf)
Sept. 2 - Casey Howard (Field Hockey)
Aug. 26 - Stephanie Barry (Volleyball)

2006-07 Season
Jan. 30 - Asha Quant (Women's Indoor Track)
Feb. 4 - Kyle DeHaven (Women's Basketball)
Feb. 11 - Sam McMahon (Men's Basketball)
Feb. 18 - Maryann Walker (Women's Swimming)
Feb. 25 - Adam Zuder-Havens (Men's Lacrosse)
Mar. 2 - Cristine Marquez (Women's Indoor Track)
Mar. 12 - Debbie Sloan (Women's Lacrosse)
Mar. 19 - Tyresa Smith (Women's Basketball)
Mar. 26 - Joe McLister (Golf)
Apr. 2 - Carolynn Sloat (Softball)
Apr. 9 - Bryan Hagerich (Baseball)
Apr. 16 - Alexi Capsouras (Women's Outdoor Track)
Apr. 23 - Jared Wasser (Men's Outdoor Track)
Apr. 30 - Alex Smith (Men's Lacrosse)
May 7 - David Slovak (Baseball)
May 14 - Tommy Scherr (Men's Lacrosse)
May 21 - Dan Deckelbaum (Men's Lacrosse)
May 28 - Mike McGuire (Baseball)