St. Louis – The Missouri Valley Conference names track and field athletes of the week honors for the last week before the 2023 MVC Indoor Track and Field Championships. This week’s athletes of the week are Drake Hanson of Northern Iowa, Ryann Porter of Indiana State, Amiri Buchanan of Illinois State, and Katie Fare of Northern Iowa.
 
Track Athlete of the Week:
Drake Hanson, Jr., UNI [Pleasant Hill, IA]
Hanson set a new personal best and meet record to take first place in the 800-meters at the Iowa Open this past weekend. That would make it the Junior's second straight week winning the event. Hanson won the 800-meter event at the SDSU Indoor classic a week ago with a time of 1:50.47. The Panther bested himself at the Iowa Open with a time of 1:49.88 in the 800-meters, ranking just outside UNI's top-five all-time and currently ranks him 4th in the MVC. 
Honorable Mention – Cael Light, Indiana State – first place in in the mile at 4:14.06 at the ISU Open.
 
Track Athlete of the Week:
Ryann Porter, Jr., Indiana State [Janesville, Wis.]
Porter earned top-three finishes in both the 60m hurdles and the long jump at the ISU Open. She ran her top 60m hurdles time since the season opener in the finals to place second in the event at 8.68, after qualifying with the second-fastest prelims time of 8.78. Porter also placed third in the long jump with a top mark of 5.44m (17-10.25). Porter ranks third in the MVC in the 60m hurdles and seventh in the conference in the long jump. In addition, she also holds the top mark in the conference in the triple jump.
Honorable Mention – Maddi Exline, Illinois State – 800 meter time of 2:12.24 at the EIU Friday Night Special.
 
Field Athlete of the Week:
Amiri Buchanan, Sr., Illinois State, [Romeoville, Ill.]
Senior Amiri Buchanan competed in the Eastern Illinois University Friday Night Special meet on Friday, participating in shot put. Buchanan threw a personal-best of 18.59m (61’0”) placing first. This mark improved his personal best by .42m. Buchanan is now third spot in ISU program history. Buchanan is sitting at No.1 in the Valley, No.7 in the Midwest Region and No. 35 in the NCAA. Not only is Buchanan excelling in the shot put, but also in weight throw. With a personal-best mark of 19.78m (64”10.74). In weight throw he is 5^th in the Valley and 13^th in the Midwest Region.  
 
Honorable Mention – Adam Phillips, Drake – Placed first at the Iowa Open with a toss of 20.69m.
 
Field Athlete of the Week:
Katie Fare, JR., UNI [Rockford, Ill.]
Took second place in the women’s shot put at the Valentines Day Invitational hosted by #20 ranked Wisconsin women. Fare threw a second-best throw of the season at 16.65-meter, besting a field of 12. Fare came second to #3 in the Nation Josie Shaefer’s 18.60-meter personal best. The Junior leads the #12 ranked Panther shot put squad in the USTFCCCA rankings. Fare continues her first place spot in the Valley in the shot put with her throw at the SDSU Indoor Classic, where her personal best of 16.68-meters, also sits her 30^th in the NCAA.

Honorable Mention – Niesha Anderson, Indiana State – won both throws events with 19.26m in the weight throw and 13.63m in the shot put.
 
The 2023 Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship will proceed on February 26^th-27^th at the Dr. Conrad Worrill Track & Field Center at Gately Park in Chicago, Illinois. Information about the Championship can be found HERE.