DENVER - Missouri-Kansas City's Bryce Miller and Grand Canyon's Marcus Flannigan have been named Western Athletic Conference Track and Field Athletes of the week, respectively, for April 25 - May 1.
Miller, a junior from Ashland, Wis. (Ashland HS) one-upped himself on Sunday, May 1, to set a new personal record in the event at one of the most prestigious track meets in the country, the Payton Jordan Invitational in Stanford, California. Miller's new personal record of 8:38.59 is now the fifth-fastest time in NCAA Division I this season.
Flannigan, a junior from Chandler, Ariz. (Chandler HS) was the runner-up in the men's long jump at the Steve Scott Invitational with a jump of 7.51m (24-07.25). The mark was 0.07m shy of his season-best, which currently is the best mark in the conference by 16 inches. In addition to the long jump, Flannigan also placed 12th in the 200m with a time of 21.66, was the third leg of the second place 4x100m relays team, which ran 41.28 and was the anchor leg of the victorious 4x400m relay team, which ran a season-best and WAC-leading time of 3:09.91.
Other track nominees: Grand Canyon's Anthony Phelps placed fourth in the 400m hurdles with a time of 53.32, just off his season-best time. Phelps has the No. 1 time in the WAC this season in the 400m hurdles. He also placed 15th in the 110m hurdles with a time of 14.86 and ran the third leg of the winning 4x400m relay which is tops in the conference with a time of 3:09.91. Seattle U's Matt Seidel finished the 5,000-meter run (“A†group) in second place with a time of 14:31.47 to give himself a new outdoor personal record in the event. That time gives him a No. 2 ranking in the WAC. UT Rio Grande Valley's Yariel Matute posted an eighth place finish out of 38 runners in the 400-meter dash at the Bobcat Classic. He crossed the finish line with a new career-best time of 47.41 seconds, which ranks second in program history. He also helped his 4x400-meter relay team to a third place finish after they posted a time of 3:16.24. Utah Valley's Jordan Peterson ran a personal record 21.42 second time in the 200m dash and earned third place in the event on the day.
Other field nominees: Missouri-Kansas City's Jeremy Harr took second place in the men's triple jump at the Rock Chalk Classic, posting a leap of 14.82 meters. Harr also placed 10th in the long jump with a mark of 6.65 meters. Seattle U's Devon Walker set a new outdoor school record in the hammer throw with a throw of 47.54 meters (156'-00â€). The distance gave him a fifth-place finish, and a No. 6 ranking in the WAC in the event. UT Rio Grande Valley's Javier Carretero posed a sixth place finish out of 18 throwers in the men's hammer throw at the Bobcat Classic after a throw of 58.22 meters. Utah Valley's Daven Russell posted a 16.67m mark in the shot put, earning him sixth place overall. On the weekend, Russell also threw two other career bests, with a toss of 45.65m in the discus, and a throw of 57.92m in the hammer for third place in the event.