St. Louis – The Missouri Valley Conference names track and field athletes of the week honors. This week’s athletes of the week are Wilma Nielsen of Bradley, Meghan Fletcher of Murray State, Wyatt Wyman of Indiana State, and Brett Norton of Indiana State.

Track Athlete of the Week
Wilma Nielsen, RS Soph., Bradley, Sweden 
Wilma broke another school record in the Women's 1000m race with a time of 2:38.95 at the Dr. Sander Invitational hosted by Columbia University in New York City. Nielsen's performance not only broke a school record at Bradley but also now ranks her 2nd all-time in NCAA history for the Women's 1000m race. Top colleges also include Brown, Columbia, Connecticut, Maryland, NC State, Penn State, South Carolina, St. John's, Syracuse, Temple and UCLA were in competition. 

Honorable Mention - Nnenna Okpara, Illinois State - set a personal best in the 400m dash, moving to the top of the Valley as a freshamn. 

Track Athlete of the Week
Wyatt Wyman, Distance, Gr., Indiana State, Nashville, Ind.
Wyman continued his strong start to the 2022-23 indoor season with a pair of top marks at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational. He placed third in the 800m with a time of 1:50.55, breaking the previous facility record and running the best by a Sycamore in the event this season. Wyman also ran the second leg of Indiana State’s 4x400m relay team that finished in 3:13.99, breaking the previous meet record in the process. The 4x400m relay time was the fastest for Indiana State since 2014, and also ranks first in the MVC and fourth in the Great Lakes region. Wyman’s performance in the 800m put him second in the MVC and seventh in the Great Lakes region in the event.

Honorable Mention - Xavier Preston, Southern Illinois - took second in the 60m and 200m moving to the top of the Valley in both events as freshman. 

Field Athlete of the Week
 Meghan Fletcher, Jr. Murray State, Grayslake, Ill.
In a field of 33, the Racer cleared the height of 1.75m (5'8.75") in the high jump at the 2023 PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational. Fletcher cleared the 1.75m height on the last attempt after sailing through the first three heights at 1.60m, 1.65m, and 1.70m. The Junior falted on a height of 1.80m ending her day at 1.75m. Fletcher tied four other competitors from South Florida, Louisville, Pittsburgh, and Lipscomb. Fletcher also matched the Murray State’s school record with this jump, earning Fletcher’s performance fourth in the Southeast region performance list and first in the MVC.

Honorable Mention - Mye'Joi Williams, Illinois State - broke the facility record in the shot put at Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center.

Field Athlete of the Week
Brett Norton, Throws, R-Sr., Indiana State, Merrillville, Ind.
Norton had a weekend to remember at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational, earning top-three finishes in both events he took part in while moving up the Sycamore record book in the process. He opened his weekend with a third-place finish in the weight throw, recording a top mark of 19.76m (64-10.00) and followed with a second-place finish in the shot put, recording a career-best mark of 18.27m (59-11.25). Norton’s shot put mark also moved him up to third in program history in the event. He ranks first in the MVC, eighth in the Great Lakes region and 38th in the nation in the shot put, and second in the MVC, ninth in the Great Lakes region and 48th in the nation in the weight throw.

Honorable Mention - Dawson Plab, SIU - took first place in the high jump at the 2023 Indiana University Relays.