DENVER - Utah Valley's Jason Lynch and McKay Burnett have been named Western Athletic Conference Track and Field Athletes of the week, respectively, for Feb. 1-7.
Lynch, a senior from Sandy, Utah (Hilcrest HS) claimed the indoor school records in the 3,000m and the 5,000m run with times of 8:30.67 and 14:44.72. Behind these record-breaking performances from Lynch, the Utah Valley track and field team fared well at the Mountain States Games hosted by Idaho State in Pocatello this weekend.
Burnett, a junior from Riverton, Utah (Riverton HS) earned second place in the men's weight throw, tying his season-high mark of 16.99m. He also threw a season best in the shot put with a mark of 14.36.
Other track nominees: Grand Canyon's Josh Ralston had a time of 48.22 (48.36 after conversion), which ranks second-best in the WAC. Ralston also 22.11 in the 200m (22.18 converted) which was the sixth best mark in the WAC this year and was a part of the 4x400 relay team to a win in their section with a time of 3:14.88, which after conversion is just behind their WAC-leading time from two weeks ago. Seattle U's Shaddye Melu finished in first place in the 400 meter with a time of 48.65, then tied his indoor personal record in the 200 meter with a time of 22.42.
Other field nominees: Grand Canyon's Marcus Flannigan ran a 21.89 in the 200m (21.96 after altitude conversion), which now ranks 3rd-best in the WAC this year. Flannigan also came back and had 7.33-meter long jump which was three inches short of his conference leading mark but still better than anyone else in the WAC this season.