DENVER SMUs Mindi Pukstas has been named the Western Athletic Conference mens Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week.
Pukstas, a junior from Kaunas, Lithuania, won his second-straight athlete of the week award, shattering a 21-year-old school record in the 5,000 meters. His time of 13:50.59 at the Husky Invitational in Seattle passed Wilson Kigens 1982 mark and is the second best time in the nation this season. He also just missed another school record as a member of the Mustang distance medley relay team. SMU posted a mark of 9:37.39, which is good for both an automatic qualifying time and third-best in the nation this season.
Additional nominees included: Jerry LaPoijt, Louisiana Tech; Tommy Oleksy, Rice and Janne Vartia, UTEP; Justin Rempel, Tulsa.
DENVER UTEPs Yemi Fagbamila has been named the Western Athletic Conference womens Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week.
Fagbamila, a senior from Lagos, Nigeria, earned an NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the 400 meters at the Bodybuilding.com Invite in Boise, Idaho. Her winning time of 53.64 is the best in the WAC this season and is just. 14 off the automatic qualifying mark. She also ran the second leg of the victorious 4x400 meter relay team, which won with a time of 3:41.33
Additional nominees included: Katie Christianson, Fresno State; Ayanna Alexander, Louisiana Tech; Tanya Wright, Rice; Zivile Pukstiene, SMU and Monica Joannes, Tulsa.