MVC Track & Field Weekly Honors (May. 13)
ST. LOUIS — The Missouri Valley Conference revealed the men’s and women’s track and field weekly honors on Wednesday. Bradley’s Jamie Phillips was named Men’s Track Athlete of the Week, UNI’s Parker Kiewiet earned Men’s Field Athlete of the aWeek honors, Indiana State’s Rachel Mehringer was selected Women’s Track Athlete of the Week, and UNI’s Katy Stephens received Women’s Field Athlete of the Week recognition.
MEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Jamie Phillips, Bradley, Soph., Troon, Scotland
Jamie Phillips closed the regular season by improving on his nationally-ranked 800m time. Phillips clocked a 1:45.61, taking first place at Indiana's Billy Hayes Invitational and lowering his program record by .13 seconds. The time marked the second time that he or any Brave has run an 800m race in under 1:46.00. It is also the best mark in the MVC and Midwest, ranks eighth among West Qualifiers and 12th in the NCAA.
MEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Parker Kiewiet, UNI, Sr., Dike, IA
Kiewiet, a redshirt senior and Dike, Iowa native earns his second consecutive MVC Men's Field Athlete of the Week honor after third of his career after first-place finish in the long jump last Friday at the Cyclone Twilight in Ames. Jumping a career-best mark of 25' 5 1/4" (7.75m), Kiewiet, who leads the conference in the event while also ranking eighth in the Midwest region, 14th in the NCAA West Qualifying Region and 30th overall in Division I, recorded the second-best outdoor mark in UNI history, just two and a half inches off of tying Cody Eichmeier's 2006 school record.
WOMEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Rachel Mehringer, Indiana State, Jr., Schnellville, Ind.
Mehringer closed the regular season in dominant fashion, taking top spot in the 100m hurdles at the Sycamore Open to complete an undefeated regular season in the event. She broke the 13-second mark for a second straight week, a feat no other athlete in conference history has accomplished, with her prelims time of 12.99 before cruising to a win in finals with a time of 13.25. Mehringer, who owns the Indiana State and Missouri Valley Conference records in both the indoor 60m hurdles and outdoor 100m hurdles, ranks first in the conference, second in the Great Lakes Region, eighth in NCAA East Qualifying and ninth nationally in the event. She owns the 15 fastest 100m hurdles times in MVC history, seven of which have come this season. Mehringer’s 12.99 prelims time ranks third in conference history behind only her times of 12.95 and 12.96.
WOMEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Katy Stephens, UNI, Sr., Burlington, IA
Stephens, a senior from Burlington, Iowa, earns her first career weekly MVC honor after an astonishing first-place finish in the long jump at the Cyclone Twilight last Friday. The MVC's leader in the event, who also ranks eighth in the Midwest region and 24th in the NCAA West Qualifying Region, posted a career-best jump of 20' 7 3/4" (6.29m) for the second-best mark in outdoor team history. Alongside teammate Joey Perry, who finished just behind her, Stephens and Perry both became just the second and third women in UNI history to leap over 20 feet in the long jump, indoor or outdoors, joining UNI Hall of Famer Dianna Leftridge.