KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association has announced new Athletes of the Week for the 2025 women’s outdoor track and field season. Melanie Roland collects Northwest Missouri’s first honor as the MIAA track athlete of the week while Nebraska Kearney’s Lily Novaceck is crowned the MIAA field athlete of the week for the second time this season.
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Melanie Roland, Northwest Missouri
It was a record book weekend for Melanie Roland as she clocked fifth fastest Bearcat time of 54.04 in the 400 meter dash at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Her finish also secured the second fastest time in the conference and is the 13th quickest in Division II. But Roland’s weekend didn’t stop there. As the third leg on Northwest Missouri’s 4x400 meter relay, Roland along with Chloe Saenz, Jadyn Barnes and Tiffany Hughey posted the second fastest time in the nation at 3:37.19 and fourth-best in program history.
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Lily Novaceck, Nebraska Kearney
Lily Novaceck collected her third field athlete of the week honor this year and second of the season after another impressive heave of 62.30 meters (204-5 feet) to win the hammer throw at the Loper Invite on Saturday. Her first-place toss took the event by nearly 15-feet as the redshirt-junior continues to lead Division II in the discipline with her personal best of 63.92 meters (209-8 feet) thrown at the Central Nebraska Challenge on March 29. Novaceck has swept the hammer throw in three out of the four meets she’s competed in, with her only non-gold medal being a silver one. The Kearney native also posted top-5 finishes in discus and shot put on her home track.
NOTABLE TRACK PERFORMANCES:
Diandrenique Gaines, Pittsburg State
Gaines had another speedy week as she logged the fifth fastest time in the 100 meter dash in all of Division II, crossing the finish line in just 11.33 seconds at the PSU Tune-Up on Thursday. The previous MIAA track athlete of the week also sits fifth nationally in the 200 meter dash with her mark of 23.38 set at the Arkansas Spring Invitational on April 12.
Lillian Cutler, Missouri Western
Posting a new school record for the Griffons was Lillian Cutler’s time of 4:39.56 in the 1500 meter run at the Bryan Clay Invitational as she’s now eleventh in MIAA rankings. Her weekend also included a personal best silver medal finish in the 800 meter run at the ULV Leopard Invitational as she clocked a 2:19.61 for tenth fastest time in the conference.
NOTABLE FIELD PERFORMANCES:
Briar Gillum, Missouri Southern
With a trio of second place finishes and NCAA qualifying marks, Briar Gillum had another impressive weekend in the throws. The Rossville, Kan., native launched the shot put 14.77 meters (48-5.5 feet) to finish runner-up before adding silver medals in the hammer throw at 55.75 meters (182-11 feet) and in discus at 48.68 meters (159-8 feet). Gillum is currently ranked in the top-20 nationally in all three events, and is third in shot put with a personal best of 15.58 meters (51-1.5 feet) set at the Emporia State Midwest Classic on April 4.
Makayla Pavelka, Pittsburg State
A pair of personal bests helped Makayla Pavelka earn NCAA qualifying marks in both long and triple jump at the PSU Tune-Up Meet. The junior leaped a conference best distance of 12.08 meters (39-7.75 feet) to win triple jump while also securing a second place finish and second best MIAA hop in long jump at 5.98 meters (19-7.5 feet).
ALSO NOMINATED:
Track Nominations: Cadence Cordova [Rogers State], Ashyiria Savage [Missouri Southern], Abigael Reid Harelson [Emporia State], Reba Mader [Fort Hays State]
Field Nominations: Annabeth Baalmann [Fort Hays State], Isabel DeMarco de Quadros [Washburn], Makenzie Garr [Missouri Western], Mia Manley [Emporia State]
2024-25 MIAA WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD ATHLETES OF THE WEEK:
OUTDOOR WEEK ONE TRACK: Paige Mullen, Pittsburg State
OUTDOOR WEEK ONE FIELD: Lily Novacek, Nebraska Kearney
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OUTDOOR WEEK TWO TRACK: Cadence Cordova, Rogers State
OUTDOOR WEEK TWO FIELD: Briar Gillum, Missouri Southern
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OUTDOOR WEEK THREE TRACK: Diandrenique Gaines, Pittsburg State
OUTDOOR WEEK THREE FIELD: Blakelee Winn, Pittsburg State
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OUTDOOR WEEK FOUR TRACK: Melanie Roland, Northwest Missouri
OUTDOOR WEEK FOUR FIELD: Lily Novaceck, Nebraska Kearney
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