KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association has announced new Track and Field Athletes of the Week from week four of the 2026 women’s outdoor season, presented by
Beynon – the official track surface of the MIAA. Emporia State’s Stella Agbokpah claimed the Hornets’ first Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week honor and Nebraska Kearney’s Lily Novacek earned her second Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week award of the season.
OUTDOOR TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Stella Agbokpah, Emporia State
Stella Agbokpah continued her record-setting season at the Jo Meaker Classic in Canyon, Texas, this past weekend. The freshman sprinter has competed in three meets this spring and has lowered her time in each event at each meet. Agbokpah shattered her own school record in the 200 meters, running 23.07 to finish third at the West Texas A&M Track Complex. She bested her own record of 23.75, which she set last week at the ESU Midwest Classic. A day after resetting her 200-meter record, Agbokpah ran an 11.57 in the women’s 100 meters to better her previous school mark of 11.58 and place fifth in the event with another provisional qualifier. Due to the altitude adjustment, her mark for nationally qualifying in the 200 meters of 23.14 ranks third in NCAA Division II and is the top mark in the MIAA. Her 100-meter time converts to 11.60 and ranks 16th in Division II, although her time of 11.58 at the Midwest Classic last week is currently 13th in the nation.
OUTDOOR FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Lily Novacek, Nebraska Kearney
Lily Novacek recorded the second-best hammer throw in NCAA Division II history and the top throw in Division II this season last Thursday evening (Apr. 9) at West Texas A&M's Jo Meaker Classic. The redshirt senior twice threw 66.44 meters (218.0), with all six of her attempts going at least 63.47 meters. Novacek then won the discus throw at the Bronco Invite in Hastings, Neb., on Saturday (Apr. 11) with a mark of 47.27 meters (155-1). The mark currently ranks 19th in Division II.
NOTABLE TRACK PERFORMANCES:
Melanie Roland, Northwest Missouri
Melanie Roland posted the nation's fourth-best time while winning the women’s 400-meter competition at the Arkansas Spring Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., running against a heavily filled Division I field (Oklahoma State, Kansas City, Tulsa, Missouri State, Wichita State, Oral Roberts, Murray State, Little Rock and Central Arkansas). Roland captured first place with a blazing time of 52.92, which is the second-best 400-meter time in Bearcat history. Roland also helped post an NCAA provisional time (45.44) in the 4x100 relay. She teamed with Krysta Abel, Kennedi Cline and Hallie Henfling to finish fourth at the Arkansas Spring Invitational with a clocking of 45.44, which is tied for the eighth-best time in Division II and the top time in the MIAA this year. It also ranks as the third-best 4x100-meter relay time in program history.
Zyra Shivers, Pittsburg State
Zyra Shivers posted the fourth-fastest time in NCAA Division II this season in winning the 100-meter hurdles competition at the University of Arkansas Spring Invitational last Saturday (Apr. 11). The Charlotte, N.C., native clocked a fast time of 13.49 seconds. Her time also ranks fourth in Pitt State history.
Grizell Scarlett, Central Missouri
Grizell Scarlett posted a provisional qualifying mark, an outdoor personal best, and an outdoor school record in the women’s 200 meters with a time of 23.31. The junior placed second in the 200-meter dash at the Kip and Kirk Outdoor Mules Relays last Thursday (Apr. 9) in Warrensburg. Her time is currently the fourth-fastest in NCAA Division II this season.
NOTABLE FIELD PERFORMANCES:
Blakelee Winn, Pittsburg State
Blakelee Winn enjoyed an elite two days of competition at the Bryan Clay Multi's last Thursday and Friday (Apr. 9-10) at Azusa, Calif. The Pea Ridge, Ark., native won the overall heptathlon competition with 5,719 points, vaulting her to No. 2 in NCAA Division II this season in the multi events. Within the heptathlon competition, Winn posted a personal best mark of 6.25 meters (20-6.25) in the long jump. That mark also ranks No. 2 in Division II this season, and it moves Winn to No. 2 on Pitt State's all-time record list for the discipline.
Dailynn VanDeren, Missouri Southern
Dailynn VanDeren won both the women’s shot put and hammer throw at Central Missouri’s Mule Relays. The junior registered the top shot put mark in Division II of 16.50 meters (54-1.75) and the seventh-best hammer throw distance of 57.33 meters (188-1). It’s the second straight weekend VanDeren has swept the two events.
Nairui Krein, Washburn
Nairui Krein captured first place in the heptathlon at the Jo Meaker Classic & Multi with 5,356 points, earning an NCAA Division II provisional qualifying mark. Krein posted strong finishes across all seven events, including a win in the shot put (13.01 meters), runner-up finishes in the 200 meters (25.50) and 800 meters (2:21.28), and a personal best in the long jump (5.73 meters). Krein also placed sixth in the 100-meter hurdles, tied for third in the high jump, and finished fourth in the javelin, sealing the overall victory. Her total was the fifth-highest in the Division II ranks this season
ALSO NOMINATED:
Track Nominations: Aryah Moore [Missouri Southern], Reba Mader [Fort Hays State], Cadence Cordova [Rogers State], Tyana Hymes [Central Oklahoma], Kassidy Stuckey [Nebraska Kearney]
Field Nominations: Isabella Davie [Emporia State], Emma Slade [Fort Hays State]
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Beynon Sports, a Tarkett Sports company, is a leading North American company specializing in designing, manufacturing, and installing high-performance synthetic athletic surfaces, particularly for track and field, but also for tennis, pickleball, and indoor courts, known for their speed, durability, and focus on sustainability using innovative materials like cashew oil. They provide surfaces for elite venues and community facilities, and meet strict International Association of Athletics Federations standards.
WEEK ONE INDOOR TRACK: Melanie Roland, Northwest Missouri
WEEK ONE INDOOR FIELD: Rachel Wilson, Pittsburg State
WEEK TWO INDOOR TRACK: Kennedi Cline, Northwest Missouri
WEEK TWO INDOOR FIELD: Dailynn VanDeren, Missouri Southern
WEEK THREE INDOOR TRACK: Kennedi Cline, Northwest Missouri
WEEK THREE INDOOR FIELD: Belle Peters, Pittsburg State
WEEK FOUR INDOOR TRACK: Blakelee Winn, Pittsburg State
WEEK FOUR INDOOR FIELD: Belle Peters, Pittsburg State
WEEK FIVE INDOOR TRACK: Stella Agbokpah, Emporia State
WEEK FIVE INDOOR FIELD: Dailynn VanDeren, Missouri Southern
WEEK SIX INDOOR TRACK: Zyra Shivers, Pittsburg State
WEEK SIX INDOOR FIELD: Breanne Peters, Pittsburg State
WEEK SEVEN INDOOR TRACK: Grizell Scarlett, Central Missouri
WEEK SEVEN INDOOR FIELD: Cannon Booker, Pittsburg State
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WEEK ONE OUTDOOR TRACK: Kiki Witt, Northwest Missouri
WEEK ONE OUTDOOR FIELD: Allyssa Mahone, Missouri Southern
WEEK TWO OUTDOOR TRACK: Grizell Scarlett, Central Missouri
WEEK TWO OUTDOOR FIELD: Lily Novacek, Nebraska Kearney
WEEK THREE OUTDOOR TRACK: Grizell Scarlett, Central Missouri
WEEK THREE OUTDOOR FIELD: Dailynn VanDeren, Missouri Southern
WEEK FOUR OUTDOOR TRACK: Stella Agbokpah, Emporia State
WEEK FOUR OUTDOOR FIELD: Lily Novacek, Nebraska Kearney