DENVER- Seattle U's Lila Rice and Grand Canyon's Tarasue Barnett have been named Western Athletic Conference Women's Track & Field Athletes of the Week, respectively, for Feb. 6-12.
Rice, a senior from Redmond, Wash., ran her first collegiate sub-five-minute mile (4:57.43), competing against top nationally ranked athletes at the Husky Classic. Her time was a personal best and ranks first in the WAC.
Barnett, a junior from Kingston, Jamaica, placed 12th in the shot put at the Don Kirby Invitational. She earned the top spot in the WAC with a mark of 14.08m. She also competed in the weight throw, finishing 8th. Her mark of 18.04m is second best in the WAC only to her leading mark of 18.42m.
Other track nominees: Grand Canyon's Yarithza Soto set a PR in the 800m at the Don Kirby Invitational, earning the top spot in the WAC… UMKC's Hanna Miller set the second fastest time in school history in the 600y at the Gorilla Classic… New Mexico State Katara Nelson earned two season best times at the Don Kirby Invitational, ranking first in the WAC in the 200m and second in the WAC in the 400m… Utah Valley's McKenzie Preece finished second in the 3000m and set a new PR in the 5000m at the Mountain State games… UTRGV's Dej'Onay Miles finished 19th of 59 in the 400m at the Cowboy Classic I.
Other field nominees: UTRGV's Dai'ja Coleman finished second in the triple jump with a career best mark at the Cowboys Classic I… New Mexico State's Akuadasuo Ezenyilimba set a PR in the weight throw at the Don Kirby Invitational, ranking second in the WAC… UMKC's Christy Nell placed fourth in the pole vault at the Gorilla Classic… Seattle U's Renee Soliman set a new PR in the long jump at the UW Open… Utah Valley's Chelsey Stegelmeier set new PRs in the weight throw and shot put at the Mountain State Games.