2023 NAIA Men's Indoor Track & Field Athletes of the Week
Athletes of the week are evaluated on their performance during the week prior to the announcement. Each player is selected out of a pool of nominees from across the country.
Quick Find: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6
Indoor Track Athlete of the Week: Jacob Ulrich, Life (Ga.)
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In a field of professional and D1 athletes at the Tiger Paw Invite, Jacob Ulrich earned an NAIA "A" Standard for the men, hitting an impressive 46.92 in the 400m which is currently the best in the NAIA by nearly a full second. |
Nominees:
Donte Sol, Multnomah (Ore.), Emad Bashir-Mohammed, University of Saint Mary (Kan.), Marcus Brown, Waldorf (Iowa), Cortez Cunningham, Madonna (Mich.), Donovan Denslow, Missouri Baptist, Eli Fullerton, Indiana Wesleyan, Vince Giuliano, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), Tajean Houston, Texas Wesleyan, Jonas Koturenka, Westcliff (Calif.), Chase Mars, Vanguard (Calif.), Chantz Minear, Grand View (Iowa), and Zach Turner, Doane (Neb.)
Indoor Field Athlete of the Week: Dylan Kucera, Midland (Neb.)
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Kucera, a senior from Fremont, Nebraska, won both throwing events at the Concordia Indoor Invite this week. He had the top toss in the shot put at 18.27m, a full meter better than the rest of the field. In the weight throw, he had a distance of 20.23m, which is the furthest throw in the NAIA this season. He ranks 1st in both events nationally heading into the GPAC Championships. |
Nominees:
Nik Bertling, Lewis-Clark (Idaho), Montrell Blacknall, Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas), Kyler Dickey, MVNU (Ohio), Gavin Frantz, Columbia (Mo.), Keaten Griffen, Willam Penn (Iowa), Ja'Kelveon Jackson, Madonna (Mich.), William Jones, Life (Ga.), Abelardo Rendon, Westcliff (Calif.), Vance Shewey, Tabor College (Kan.), Aaron Solorzano, Vanguard (Calif.), Conner Tordsen, Dakota State (S.D.), Devin Webster, Thomas More (Ky.), and Jonah Wilson, St. Ambrose (Iowa).
Week 5 (February 8, 2023)
Indoor Track Athlete of the Week: Joseph Taylor, Southeastern (Fla.)
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Scoring 27.5 points, Taylor was the Most Valuable Performer of The Sun Conference Championship. His day was highlighted by a new meet record in the 200 Meters in 21.43 and the 400 Meters in 48.01. |
Nominees:
Aaron Jones, Milligan (Tenn.), Will Reemtsma, St. Ambrose (Iowa), Logan Rufenacht, Grace (Ind.), Ceondae Adams, Mount Mercy (Iowa), Ruchen Blaauw, Montreat (N.C.), Carter Brocato, Columbia (Mo.), Noah Cunningham, Siena Heights (Mich.), Brendan Erwin, University of Saint Mary (Kan.), Saba Khvichava, Bellevue (Neb.), Lane Maher, College of Idaho, Chase Mars, Vanguard (Calif.), Abelardo Rendon, Westcliff (Calif.), and Calvin Rohde, Concordia (Neb.)
Indoor Field Athlete of the Week: Dylan Kucera, Midland (Neb.)
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Kucera, a senior from Fremont, Nebraska, won both throwing events at the DWU Alumni Meet on Saturday. He set a new season-best in both events, reaching 19.83m in the weight throw and 18.68m in the shot put. He is now ranked 2nd nationally in the weight throw and 1st in the shot put among NAIA athletes. |
Nominees:
Dustin Blevins, Montreat (N.C.), Gavin Frantz, Columbia (Mo.), Alex Hunt, Madonna (Mich.), Tyler Jones, Eastern Oregon, Kyle Manuel, Southeastern (Fla.), Michael Millslagle, Graceland University (Iowa), Edgar Sactic, Vanguard (Calif.), Noah Sears, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), Vance Shewey, Tabor (Kan.), Isaiah Tipping, Marian (Ind.), and Conner Tordsen, Dakota State (S.D.)
Indoor Track Athlete of the Week: Bryn Woodall, Milligan (Tenn.)
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Woodall notched his fourth NAIA "A" standard in as many individual events. He posted the No. 3 national time in the mile. Helped Milligan's DMR to the national No. 1 time and school record in the men's DMR. Competition at the VMI Winter Classic included NCAA Division I, Division II, Division III, and junior college competitors. |
Nominees:
Davonte Vanterpool, Southeastern (Fla.), Cortez Cunningham, Madonna (Mich.), Donovan Denslow, Missouri Baptist, Calvin Rohde, Concordia (Neb.), Zola Sokhela, Westmont (Calif.), Sammy Sommers, Taylor (Ind.), Marcus Brown, Waldorf (Iowa), Freider Fornasari-Banguera, Multnomah (Ore.), Carson Johnson, Cumberlands (Ky.), Chase Mars, Vanguard (Calif.), Trey Palmer, Bethel College (Kan.), Joshua Wagner, Life (Ga.), Jackson Wilson, Rocky Mountain (Mont.), Omario Windett, Keiser (Fla.), and Isaiah Wittrock, Grand View (Iowa).
Indoor Field Athlete of the Week: Treshawn Roberts, Dakota State (S.D.)
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Treshawn Roberts broke the DSU school record in the heptathlon by scoring 5097 points. He is currently ranked number 1 in the NAIA. |
Nominees:
Matthew Campbell, Doane (Neb.), Liam Hesting, Taylor (Ind.), Mark Morozov, Life (Ga.), Trey Palmer, Bethel College (Kan.), Jarrod Benkovich, Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind.), Josh DeVries, Cornerstone (Mich.), Kyle Manuel, Southeastern (Fla.), Michael Millslagle, Graceland (Iowa), Tanner Nett, Eastern Oregon, Noah Sears, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), Cade Van Vleet, Montana Tech, and Camden Woolbright, Missouri Baptist.
Indoor Track Athlete of the Week: Payton Mauldin, Dordt (Iowa)
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It was an impressive weekend once again for Payton Mauldin as he hit two 'A' standard marks at the Jim Emmerich Invite, a meet hosted by South Dakota State and featured athletes from NCAA D-I and D-II. Mauldin ran a school record time in the 800m (1:50.87) which is the top time in the NAIA to date. The junior then anchored the Defenders 4x400 relay that also hit the 'A' standard with the No. 3 time in the NAIA (3:16.1) and also the 2nd fastest time in program history. |
Nominees:
Vince Giuliano, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), Charlie Young, Indiana Wesleyan, Drew Caldwell, IU Kokomo, Davonte Vanterpool, Southeastern (Fla.), Jalen Anderson, Viterbo (Wis.), Wyatt Baldauf, Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.), Ruchen Blaauw, Montreat (N.C.), Colten Covington, Cornerstone (Mich.), Bryan Hernandez-Rios, Grace College (Ind.), Carter Huyser, Grand View (Iowa), Clarence Strong, Jr., Missouri Valley College, London Kirk, Lewis and Clark State (Idaho), Emmanuel Niang, Talladega (Ala.), Abdul Salaah, Midway (Ky.), Javon Sanders, Institution (Indiana Tech), Jaylan Washington, Ottawa (Kan.), Jackson Wilson, Rocky Mountain (Mont.), Bryn Woodall, Milligan (Tenn.), and Jose Zarate, Our Lady of the Lake (Texas).
Indoor Field Athlete of the Week: Cole Wilson, Keiser (Fla.)
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Recorded the third-highest heptathlon score in program history with 5101 points. Wilson's score is currently the top score in the NAIA. |
Nominees:
Shandon Reitzell, Midland (Neb.), Greg Jenkins, Viterbo (Wis.), Shane Glasco, Bethel (Ind.), Brett Glaser, Carroll College (Mont.), Ian Lee Heung, Our Lady of the Lake (Texas), Enoch Abousou, Missouri Valley College, Dustin Blevins, Montreat College (N.C.), Christian Bothwell, Lewis-Clark State (Idaho), Josh DeVries, Cornerstone (Mich.), Blake Harris, Xavier (La.), Michael Millslagle, Graceland (Iowa), Cole Parker, Kansas Wesleyan, Mick Saloninas, St. Ambrose (Iowa), Shomari Somerville, Indiana Tech, Will Vail, John Brown (Ark.), and Zachary Weinstein, Life (Ga.)
Week 2 (January 18, 2023)
Indoor Track Athlete of the Week: Joseph Taylor, Southeastern (Fla.)
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Taylor won three events which included the second-best time nationally in the 400 at 47.7 and defeated the holder of the top time in the race. Taylor was also tops in the 200 in a time of 21.58 and was key to SEU's comeback win in the 4x400 over USF's A and B teams. |
Nominees: Jacob Ulrich, LIfe (Ga.); Ahumad Williams, Indiana Tech; Ceodae Adams, Mount Mercy (Iowa); Jason Bowers, Cumberland (Ky.); Donovan Denslow, Missouri Baptist; Lendale Franklin, Saint Xavier (Ill.); Otto De St. Jeor, Marian (Ind.); Sana Khvichava, Bellevue (Neb.); London Kirk, Lewis-Clark State (Idaho); Manuel Najera, Park Gilbert (Ariz.); Trey Palmer, Bethel (Kan.); Will Stockley, Milligan (Tenn.); Zach Turner, Doane (Neb.); Jackson Wilson, Rocky Mountain (Mont.)
Indoor Field Athlete of the Week: Dylan Kucera, Midland (Neb.)
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Currently leads the NAIA in the Shot Put with mark from this week. He is also 2nd in the NAIA in the weight throw. |
Nominees: Emil Carlsson, Keiser (Fla.); Iredia Goodness, Cumberland (Ky.); Seth Alexander, Xavier (La.); Jaycob Atencio, Lewis-Clark State (Idaho); Dustin Blevins, Montreat (N.C.); Cameron Hone, Rocky Mountain (Mont.); William Jones, Life (Ga.); Christian Rios, Marian (Ind.); Noah Schultz, Indiana Tech; Vance Shewey, Tabor (Kan.); Conner Tordsen, Dakota State (S.D.); Jordan Walker-Wright, Missouri Baptist; Jonah Wilson, St. Ambrose (Iowa); Isaiah Wittrock, Grand View (Iowa)
Indoor Track Athlete of the Week: Emmanuel Niang, Talladega (Ala.)
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The 60m Hurdles time was the second-fastest this season in the NAIA |
Nominees: Jaylan Washington, Ottawa (Kan.); JaDae Moore, Doane (Neb.)
Indoor Field Athlete of the Week: Luke Patridge, Doane (Neb.)
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Partridge won the weight throw by nearly six feet, surpassing the national qualifying mark for the second time this season. He had a throw of 17.15m (56-03.25). He currently sits 4th nationally in the event. |
Nominees: Eryk Kyser, Kansas Wesleyan
