KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The MIAA announced its second men’s indoor track and field athletes of the week for the 2021-22 season.
 
Indoor Track Athlete of the Week – Wes Ferguson – Nebraska Kearney
Wes Ferguson, last week’s USTFCCCA Division II National Male Athlete of the Week, had another big effort for the Lopers. Now the Division II all-time indoor record holder at 1,000-meters (2:23.80), Ferguson helped UNK go 1-2-3 at 800 meters last Saturday at the Northwest Open. He ran an even 1:50.00, topping his own school-record of 1:50.60 set last February. Ferguson continues to lead the nation in the event with a track-converted 1:49.80.
 
Indoor Field Athlete of the Week – LJ Kiner – Pittsburg State
LJ Kiner posted the top mark in NCAA Division II this season in winning the triple jump at the Rumble in the Jungle Invitational last Friday. The Humble, Texas, native jumped 51 feet, 11.25 inches to tie the Pitt State indoor record in the discipline as well.
 
NOTABLE TRACK PERFORMANCES
Braylen Burton – Pittsburg State
Braylen Brewer enjoyed a pair of record performances for the Gorillas in the Rumble in the Jungle Invitational last Friday. The Maud, Okla., native set the school record in the 400 meters, winning the discipline in 47.53 seconds – the third-fastest time in NCAA Division II this season. He also ran the anchor leg for Pitt States victorious 4x400m relay. The relay won their race while posting the top mark in D2 this season and the all-time fastest time in school history (3:12.86).
 
Romain Henry – Washburn
While competing at the Washburn Rust Buster, Romain Henry won the 60m hurdles in an NCAA Division II provisional time of 8.13 and he also set the school record in the 600-yard with a second-place finish with a time of 1:12.76. He picked up another win at the All-Kansas Invite taking first place with a time of 8.15 in the 60m hurdles and was sixth in the 600-yard. His two wins in the last two weeks marks three wins in three entries this season in the 60m hurdles.
 
Ryan Riddle – Missouri Southern
Ryan Riddle won the 3k at the Northwest Missouri Open last weekend. Riddle posted an NCAA Division II provisional and new facility record time of 7:58.08. That mark is the second-fastest mark in Division II this year and is the second-fastest in program history, a little less than a second slower than the school record set by Vincent Kiprop in the 2017 NCAA Championships. 
 
NOTABLE FIELD PERFORMANCES
Blake Morgan – Northwest Missouri
Blake Morgan set a personal best with a leap of 2.14m (70.25") to capture the high jump title and rank as the second-best indoor jump in school history at the Northwest Open. Kevin Schultz and Morgan are the only two Bearcats in program history to have cleared 70" in the indoor high jump. Morgan’s mark ranks as the second-best high jump this year among Division II competitors. He was nearly eliminated from the competition when he missed his first two jumps at 2.08m, but came through on his final jump to move the bar up to 2.11m. Morgan cashed in on the opportunity and nailed his first jump at the mark. Midland’s Shandon Reitzell also cleared the bar at 2.11m, so he and Morgan were the final only two competitors remaining when it moved up to 2.14m. Morgan cleared it in his first jump, while Reitzell failed to make the jump, giving the crown to Morgan.
 
Xavier Robinson – Fort Hays State
Xavier Robinson won the triple jump competition at the All-Kansas Invite with a huge personal best, clearing a distance of 49-3.5 on his fifth jump of the day. The mark was more than 16 inches past his previous best and is the second-best mark in the MIAA this season. He currently ranks 13th on the NCAA DII performance chart.
 
ALSO NOMINATED
Track: Hayden Goodpaster – Emporia State, Antonio Lay – Central Missouri, Jackson Stinnett – Rogers State, Trever Medina – Fort Hays State
 
Field: Addison Snowball – Central Missouri, Adrain Broadus – Missouri Southern, Tom Haug – Washburn