DENVER
- Idaho's Liga Velvere
and Hawai'i's Madara
Apine
have been named the Verizon Western Athletic Conference Women's Outdoor
Track and Field Athletes of the Week, respectively, for the week of April 4-10.
Velvere,
a sophomore from Saldus, Latvia (Latvian Academy of Sport), claimed one
individual title and rallied Idaho to a women's relay win on Saturday at the
WAR IV Regional Dual meet. She posted a
WAC-leading and lifetime-best 59.30 to win the 400-meter hurdles. That mark moves her to third all-time at
Idaho and ranks 16th in the West Region and 28th in the NCAA. It was the fastest time by a Vandal in 10
years. In the 4x400-meter relay, Velvere took the
baton for the final leg of the race and overtook the two leaders on the final
lap to give the Vandals a win in a team season-best time of 3:52.93.
Apine,
a junior from Ikskile, Latvia (Florida), broke her own school-record in the
triple jump at the Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner-Kersee Invitational with a mark
of 41-8.5 (12.71m). She was the top
collegiate finisher in the event and placed third overall at the meet. Her mark ranks at the top of the WAC and is
23rd in the nation.
Other track nominees included: Yvonne
Bennett
, Boise State; Latisha Jordan
, Fresno State; Chelsea Hayes
,
Louisiana Tech; Samantha Diaz
, Nevada; LaSasha Aldredge
, New
Mexico State; and Kim Quinn
, Utah State.
Other field nominees included: Danielle
Valentine
, Boise State; J'Quyra Moncur-Blue
, Fresno State; Gabby
Midles
, Idaho; La Tijera Avery
, Nevada; Bellosie Frazier
, New
Mexico State; and Spela Hus
, Utah State.
-WAC-