MVC Track & Field Weekly Honors (Apr. 29)
ST. LOUIS — The Missouri Valley Conference revealed the men’s and women’s track and field weekly honors on Wednesday. Evansville’s Rafael Rodriguez was named Men’s Track Athlete of the Week, UNI’s Carter Morton earned Men’s Field Athlete of the aWeek honors, Indiana State’s Rachel Mehringer was selected Women’s Track Athlete of the Week, and Indiana State’s Aliseonna Garnett received Women’s Field Athlete of the Week recognition.
MEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Rafael Rodriguez, Evansville, Jr., Segovia, Spain
Rafael Rodriguez had a huge performance at the Jim Freeman/Clark Wood Invitational, hosted by the University of Louisville, taking the 1500 meter title while breaking a program record that had stood since 1983 with a time of 3:43.94. The time ranks second in the MVC and 15th in the Great Lakes Region this season. Rodriguez also took the 1500 meter title at the SIUE Cougar Classic on April 11, as well as taking first place in the 800 meters at the Indiana State Gibson Invitational on April 18.
MEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Carter Morton, UNI, Sr., Jefferson, Iowa
The Jefferson, Iowa native earns his first MVC outdoor weekly honor of the season after a successful weekend of action at the 116th running of the historic Drake Relays in Des Moines. Morton finished first in the men's long jump championship division with a career-best mark of 25 feet, four inches (7.72 meters), the second-best outdoor mark in UNI history. His mark currently leads the MVC and is tied for 17th in the NCAA West Region this season. The win was also his second career Drake Relays title after winning the decathlon in 2023. Additioanlly, Morton also placed sixth in the men's high jump championship division with a six foot, ten and three-quarter inch leap (2.10m).
WOMEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Rachel Mehringer, Indiana State, Jr., Schnellville, Ind.
Mehringer continued her conference dominance in the 100m hurdles, tying her own program and MVC all-conditions record of 13.03 in prelims before backing it up with a time of 13.10 in finals to claim her first individual Drake Relays crown. She also teamed up with Aubrey Runyon, Ellie Irwin and Sophie Hale to deliver a Drake Relays title in the shuttle hurdle relay, with the Sycamore quartet breaking the program record in the event with their time of 55.59. The Drake Relays titles were the first for the Sycamores in any event since 2023, when the men’s shuttle hurdle relay and women’s 4x400m relay teams placed first. Mehringer joined Adarius Washington (2016), Greggmar Swift (2012) and Aubrey Herring (2001) as Sycamore hurdlers to win multiple events at a single Drake Relays, and became the second Indiana State women’s athlete to win multiple events at a single Drake Relays alongside seven-time national champion Holli Hyche in 1993. Her 100m hurdles time ranks first in the MVC, second in the Great Lakes Region, 11th in NCAA East Region Qualifying and 16th nationally. Mehringer is currently the highest-ranked women’s track athlete in any event in the MVC.
WOMEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Aliseonna Garnet, Indiana State, Jr., Indianapolis, Ind.
Garnett put together another big weekend in the throws events at the Drake Relays, setting an outdoor career best in the shot put and recording her third meet over the 50-meter mark in the discus this season. Her shot put mark of 15.77m (51-9) placed her sixth in program history in the event and earned her a top-five finish in the invite section at the Drake Relays. Garnett had three throws over 50 meters in the invite section of the discus, with her best of the weekend measuring at 53.23m (174-8) to place her sixth in the championship field. She remains the only athlete in the MVC to reach the 50-meter mark in the discus during the 2026 campaign, a feat she has accomplished on six throws this season. Garnett currently owns the top discus mark in the conference, while also ranking fourth in the Great Lakes Region, 21st in NCAA East Region Qualifying and 41st nationally in the event. She also ranks second in the MVC, ninth in the Great Lakes Region, 32nd in NCAA East Region Qualifying and 58th nationally in the shot put. Garnett is currently one of two women’s field athletes in the MVC on pace to qualify for NCAA East or West First Rounds in multiple events.