KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced its first men’s outdoor track and field athletes of the week for the 2022 season.
 
Co-Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week – Mason Strader – Pittsburg State  
Mason Strader posted the fastest time to date in NCAA Division II winning the 1,500m at the Dr. Dan Caprioglio Early Bird Invitational hosted by CSU-Pueblo on Mar. 18. The Holton, Kansas native won the race with a top time of 3:42.55. The Gorillas junior also broke a 54-year-old school record in the 800m with his fastest time of 1:50.05 that day. That time currently ranks fourth best in Division II this season.
 
Co-Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week – Robbie Schmidt – Fort Hays State  
Robbie Schmidt broke a 53-year-old school record in the 5,000m run at the Texas Relays this past weekend. The senior shaved nearly 40 seconds off his personal record, completing the race in 14:05.87. That time was good for ninth place, better than seven Division I runners. He improved the school record by close to 15 seconds, a mark that has been held by Tiger Sports Hall of Famer Larbi Oukada since 1969 (14:20.44). To date, it is the second-best time in Division II this season and is an NCAA provisional performance mark.
 
Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week – Vincent Hobbie – Central Missouri   
Vincent Hobbie finished second in the pole vault at the 94th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays on March 24 in a field of primarily NCAA Division I competitors. Hobbie cleared an NCAA Division II-best height of 5.35m (17-06.50) on his second attempt. The senior’s mark currently leads the MIAA and ranks third-best in Central Missouri school history.
 
NOTABLE TRACK PERFORMANCES
Troy Whyte – Lincoln
Troy Whyte opened the outdoor season with a pair of victories at the Emporia State Relays this past weekend. Whyte won the 400m hurdles in 51.49 and helped the Blue Tigers win the 4x400m relay in 3:11.12, both of which are provisional times that now lead the MIAA. Whyte’s 400m hurdle time ranks fifth in NCAA Division II while the relay time is third.
 
NOTABLE FIELD PERFORMANCES
Konner Swenson – Pittsburg State
Konner Swenson is ranked in the top-10 nationally in three throwing disciplines following a pair of competitions to open the season. The Gorillas’ senior is currently ranked fourth in Division II in the hammer throw (196-9), eighth in the discus throw (172-0) and eighth in the shot put (57-10.5). He posted his best marks in the hammer and shot put at the Emporia State Relays last weekend, while his discus throw mark came at the Emporia State Spring Invitational on Mar. 18.
 
Brayden Sorensen – Nebraska Kearney
In Nebraska Kearney’s first outdoor meet of the year, Brayden Sorensen won the high jump at the Emporia State Relays with a height of 7-0.25. He led a field of 21 with his effort currently tops in the MIAA and ranks second in Division II.
 
ALSO NOMINATED
Field: Jaime Diaz – Emporia State, Joel Dos Santos – Northwest Missouri, Carlos Vallejo – Rogers State
Track: Jacob Clark – Fort Hays State, Peyton Barton – Missouri Southern, Dakota Schmidt – Northwest Missouri, Justice Akinmoladum – Washburn, Kizan David – Lincoln