KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association has announced its final Track and Field Athletes of the Week from the 2024-25 indoor season. Joy Udo-Gabriel collected back-to-back MIAA Track Athlete of the Week honors in Week Seven while Lily Novacek was crowned the MIAA Field Athlete of the Week for the first time this season.
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Joy Udo-Gabriel, Missouri Southern
Joy Udo-Gabriel has been named the MIAA Track Athlete of the Week for the second straight week. Udo-Gabriel ran the fastest 60-meter dash time in NCAA Division II this season, crushing the Missouri Southern 60-meter school record for the fifth time. The sophomore sprinter placed first in the prelims at the University of Arkansas Qualifier last Friday (Feb. 21), setting a new school record with an NCAA Qualifying Time of 7.25 seconds. Udo-Gabriel improved her time to 7.24 seconds in the finals to win the event, lowering her own MSSU record once again. Her time currently ranks No. 1 for Division II women, .02 seconds faster than the second-fastest time on the NCAA Division II performance list.
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Lily Novacek, Nebraska Kearney
Lily Novacek broke the Nebraska Kearney school record in the women’s weight throw for the third time this season. The redshirt junior set a new personal record with a toss of 64 feet, 10.50 inches (19.77 meters) last Friday (Feb. 21) night to win the event at the Loper Tune-Up. Novacek’s distance was good for the second-best in NCAA Division II ranks this season.
NOTABLE TRACK PERFORMANCES:
Paige Mullen, Pittsburg State
Paige Mullen shattered a 32-year-old Pitt State record in the 3,000 meters at the University of Arkansas Qualifier last Friday (Feb. 21). The Overland Park, Kan., native was clocked in a fast time of 9 minutes, 30.22 seconds. Mullen’s time currently ranks 17th in NCAA Division II this season and bested the Gorillas’ previous record of 9:37.63, set by NCAA Division II Hall of Famer Christie Allen in 1993.
Lydia McGlocklin, Northwest Missouri
Lydia McGlocklin was flying around the track at the Arkansas Qualifier against Division I and Division II competition, posting the third-best time in program history in the 800-meter run. McGlocklin placed 12th in 2:09.27 – the 16th-fastest 800-meter time in NCAA Division II this season.
NOTABLE FIELD PERFORMANCES:
Kyla Davis, Pittsburg State
Kyla Davis cleared 14 feet, 1.25 inches (4.30 meters) in the pole vault to place second at the University of Arkansas Qualifier last Friday (Feb. 21) at the Randal Tyson Track Center. The clearance ranks third on the NCAA Division II performance chart, while the Yukon, Okla. native currently ranks No. 2 in Division II in the discipline with her clearance of 14 feet, 2.5 inches (4.33 meters) earlier this month.
Annabeth Baalmann, Fort Hays State
Annabeth Baalmann broke her own Fort Hays State school record in the pole vault at the Loper Tune-Up last Friday (Feb. 21), clearing the bar at 14 feet, 0.5 inches (4.28 meters). That performance helped her jump to fourth on the NCAA Division II performance chart and is second-best in the MIAA this season, two inches short of the top league mark. The junior did not miss a jump in her record-breaking performance, clearing each of four bars on her first attempt. She is the only female in program history to surpass the four-meter mark in the pole vault, having done so four times this season.
Dailynn VanDeren, Missouri Southern
Dailynn VanDeren had two runner-up finishes at the University of Arkansas Qualifier this past weekend. The Bolivar, Mo. native placed second in the women's shot put with a personal best and NCAA Qualifying Mark of 49 feet, 9 inches (15.23 meters) – good for the sixth-best distance in Division II this season. The sophomore thrower also placed second in the women’s weight throw with an NCAA Qualifying Mark of 61 feet, 5.5 inches (18.73 meters) at the Arkansas Qualifier (Feb. 21).
ALSO NOMINATED:
Track Nominations: Lillian Culter [Missouri Western], Kassidy Stuckey [Nebraska Kearney], Reba Mader [Fort Hays State]
Field Nominations: Rachael Molley [Central Missouri], Makenzie Garr [Missouri Western], Addy Scheve [Emporia State]
2024-25 MIAA WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETES OF THE WEEK:
INDOOR WEEK ONE TRACK: Marie Dea, Northwest Missouri
INDOOR WEEK ONE FIELD: Mele Taula, Emporia State
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INDOOR WEEK TWO TRACK: Marie Dea, Northwest Missouri
INDOOR WEEK TWO FIELD: Makenzie Garr, Missouri Western
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INDOOR WEEK THREE TRACK: Kayvon Nubine, Pittsburg State
INDOOR WEEK THREE FIELD: Isabelle Peters, Pittsburg State
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INDOOR WEEK FOUR TRACK: Kayvon Nubine, Pittsburg State
INDOOR WEEK FOUR FIELD: Alex Hart, Washburn
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INDOOR WEEK FIVE TRACK: Chloe Saenz, Northwest Missouri
INDOOR WEEK FIVE FIELD: Kyla Davis, Pittsburg State
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INDOOR WEEK SIX TRACK: Joy Udo-Gabriel, Missouri Southern
INDOOR WEEK SIX FIELD: Alex Hart, Washburn
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INDOOR WEEK SEVEN TRACK: Joy Udo-Gabriel, Missouri Southern
INDOOR WEEK SEVEN FIELD: Lily Novacek, Nebraska Kearney