USTFCCCA Awards
By USTFCCCA Communications, USTFCCCA February 21, 2023   

M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week (Feb. 21)

NEW ORLEANS — This indoor season is something else.

Here are the M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week for February 21, 2023.

  • NCAA Division I Men – Oklahoma State DMR
  • NCAA Division I Women – Emily Seesa, UMass Lowell
  • NCAA Division II Men – Isaac Botsio, West Texas A&M
  • NCAA Division II Women – Angelo State 4×400 Relay
  • NCAA Division III Men – Sam Blaskowski, UW-La Crosse
  • NCAA Division III Women – Birgen Nelson, Gustavus Adolphus
  • NAIA Men – Bryn Woodall, Milligan (Tenn.)
  • NAIA Women – Paige Manney, Tennessee Wesleyan
  • NJCAA Men – Gilbert Olivas, Paradise Valley (Ariz.) CC
  • NJCAA Women – Miracle Thompson, Cloud County (Kan.) CC

Find out more about each of these athletes by scrolling below.

National Athlete of the Week is an award selected and presented by the USTFCCCA Communications Staff at the beginning of each week to 14 collegiate cross country athletes, when applicable (male and female for each of the three NCAA divisions, the NAIA and the NJCAA).

Nominations are open to the public. Coaches and sports information directors are encouraged to nominate their student-athletes; as are student-athletes, their families and friends, and fans of their programs. Nominated athletes are noticed before those athletes found through searching TFRRS.

The award seeks to highlight not only the very best times, marks and scores on a week-to-week basis, but also performances that were significant on the national landscape and/or the latest in a series of strong outings. Quality of competition, suspenseful finishes and other factors will also play a role in the decision.

NCAA DIVISION I MEN – Oklahoma State DMR

Remember when the collegiate record in the DMR was 9:25.97?

Seems like forever ago, especially since Oklahoma State just lowered the standard to 9:16.40 this past weekend at the Arkansas Qualifier. The Cowboys took the collegiate record from the Men of Oregon, who went 9:19.42 two years ago. Texas, which set the bar at 9:25.97 more than 15 years ago, is now No. 8 in collegiate history on a record-legal track.

Oklahoma State won an all-time race in Fayetteville, Arkansas, that saw two under the former collegiate record (Washington was second in 9:16.65). Fouad Messaoudi (2:49.49), DJ McArthur (46.82), Hafez Mahadi (1:47.27) and Ryan Schoppe (3:52.84) were all part of the Cowboys’ quartet that blistered the track inside the Randal Tyson Track Center.

This is the first time since 2015 that a male athlete from Oklahoma State has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the indoor season (John Teeters). The Cowboys are the third men’s DMR quartet to earn national honors in the history of the award.

NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Emily Sessa, UMass Lowell

Grad Student | Mid-Distance
Tewksbury, Massachusetts

Every point mattered for UMass Lowell at the America East Indoor Championships this past weekend. Actually, every half-point mattered as the River Hawks edged Albany, 196.5 to 196, for their first indoor conference title in program history.

Emily Sessa was a big reason for UMass Lowell’s success, as she scored 25 points thanks a pair of individual titles and two totes of the baton on first-place relay teams. Sessa captured top individual honors in both the 1000 meters (2:55.67) and mile (4:52.69), then helped on both the champion 4×800 relay and DMR.

If you’re curious, the half-point came from the high jump, where Sydney Lewis tied for sixth place to give the River Hawks 11.5 points in the event with their 4-5-6 finish.

This is the first time in program history that an athlete from UMass Lowell has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the indoor season.

NCAA DIVISION II MEN – Isaac Botsio, West Texas A&M

Freshman | Sprints
Takoradi, Ghana

There’s no shortage of speed for West Texas A&M.

Isaac Botsio sprinted his way to Lone Star Conference glory as the Ghana native captured conference titles in the 60 meters (6.61) and 200 meters (20.88). Those performances moved Botsio into the NCAA Division II all-time charts, as he is now ranked No. 5 in the 200 and No. 7 in the 60.

Botsio was also part of the Buffs’ 4×400 relay that earned runner-up honors. His 22 points helped West Texas A&M capture its third consecutive LSC crown.

This is the second time this season a male athlete from West Texas A&M has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week. Joseph Oreva earned the honor on January 17.

NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Angelo State 4×400 Relay

Angelo State broke a near 26-year old record to close out the 2023 Lone Star Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships.

The Rambelles’ 4×400 Meter Relay got the baton around in 3:38.38 to win the conference title by more than five seconds over runner-up West Texas A&M (3:44.24). The quartet of Shiean Walters, Zykia McDaniel, Maricia Spence and Shadae Findley topped the previous best of 3:39.24 set by Lincoln (Mo.) in 1997.

Spence and Walters also shined in their respective events and added three gold medals to Angelo State’s haul. Spence won the pentathlon (3862) and long jump (6.04m/19-9¾), while Walters captured the 400 crown in 53.25 to become the No. 10 performer in NCAA Division II history.

This is the first time since 2018 that a female athlete has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the indoor season (Kami Norton). The Rambelles are the second 4×400 relay squad to earn national honors in the history of the award.

NCAA DIVISION III MEN – Sam Blaskowski, UW-La Crosse

Sophomore | Sprints/Jumps
Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Sam Blaskowski is now King of the Sprints in NCAA Division III.

Blaskowski already owned the outright division record in the 200 meters from a few weeks ago at 21.13, but shared the 60-meter version with Thurgood Dennis, whose one-lap best he took down. Well, after Blaskowski went 6.67 at the USATF Indoor Championships this past weekend in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the UW-La Crosse star stands alone at the top of the chart in both events.

He actually clocked identical 6.67 marks, once in the semifinals and then again in the final, where he placed fifth. Blaskowski also added a 6.69 for good measure in the prelims to notch another all-time performance.

This is the fourth time in the past five weeks that Blaskowski has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week. Blaskowski has tied former UMass Boston standout Wadeline Jonathas for the most national honors in a single indoor season in the history of the award.

NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Birgen Nelson, Gustavus Adolphus

Senior | Hurdles
Edina, Minnesota

Want to know how dominant Birgen Nelson is?

Take a look at the all-time chart in the 60-meter hurdles in NCAA Division III.

Nelson owns the top-5 marks on the list, including two sub-8.44 efforts that she blistered this past weekend at the USATF Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Gustavus Adolphus phenom blasted her current PB of 8.33 in the prelims of the Championships, which sent her to the finals, where she went 8.42 to place sixth. Nelson’s 8.33 is now the record. Her 8.42 slots in at No. 5.

This is the second time this season that Nelson has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week. Nelson previously earned national honors following her first record-breaking effort.

NAIA MEN – Bryn Woodall, Milligan (Tenn.)

Sophomore | Mid-Distance/Distance
Conwy, Wales

Bryn Woodall was a triple winner at the Appalachian Conference Indoor Championships as Milligan won the team title by 30 points – the same amount of points that Woodall contributed.

He started Friday with an NAIA national-leading time of 2:27.31 in the 1000 meters, storming to victory with a 27.51 last 200.

Then, on Saturday, he won the 3000 in 8:25.66, beating teammate – and NAIA national leader – Aaron Jones by more than five seconds. About 2½ hours later, Woodall was back on the track to win the mile in 4:18.53, defeating teammate – and NAIA No. 2 runner this year – Will Stockley by more than two seconds.

Woodall is the first athlete from Milligan to earn M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week honors in indoor track & field.

NAIA WOMEN – Paige Manney, Tennessee Wesleyan

Junior | Jumps
Athens, Tennessee

Paige Manney wasn’t everywhere at the Appalachian Conference Indoor Championships – it just seemed like it.

Her first performance made historical significance, as her 12.80m (42-0) triple jump victory is the farthest-known in NAIA indoor history. She leads this year’s NAIA national lists by more than a foot.

That was on Thursday. On Friday she added two more victories – 5.83m (19-1½) in the long jump and 8.91 in the 60-meter hurdles. Add in a pair of runner-up efforts – 1.60m (5-3) in the high jump and as part of the 4×400 relay team (4:09.42) – and Manney accumulated 42 points as the Bulldogs finished fifth with 96 points.

Manney is the first athlete from Tennessee Wesleyan to be named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in indoor track & field.

NJCAA MEN – Gilbert Olivas, Paradise Valley (Ariz.) CC

Sophomore | Distance
Glendale, Arizona

Gilbert Olivas won his section of the Arkansas Qualifier convincingly.

His time of 4:02.30 gave him victory by over two seconds, lowering his best from 4:05.85 two weeks ago. Olivas’ new PR made him the No. 2 NJCAA indoor miler ever, trailing only the 3:58.34 NJCAA record set in 2008 by Boaz Lalang of Rend Lake (Ill.).

Olivas also rates top-10 on the NJCAA seasonal list in the 3000 at 8:19.99. In the fall he was fourth at the NJCAA Division II Cross Country Championships.

This is the second time Olivas has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the week. It’s his first for indoor track & field after a similar honor last fall in cross country. In indoor track & field, he is the second male athlete from Paradise Valley to earn this distinction.

NJCAA WOMEN – Miracle Thompson, Cloud County (Kan.) CC

Sophomore | Sprints/Hurdles
Abia State, Nigeria

Miracle Thompson won some intense duels at the Kansas Jayhawk Conference Indoor Championships.

The first was the most thrilling as just 0.005 seconds separated her and Danae Nembhard of Barton (Kan.) CC in the 60-meter hurdles. Both clocked 8.29 in moving to No. 5 on the NJCAA indoor all-time list.

Thompson lined up against Nembhard some 10 minutes later in the 60 meters and responded with a PR 7.46 for her second title of the meet as Nembhard followed in 7.59.

The 4×400 relay finished off the meet’s final day, and Thompson ran the third leg – matched against Nembhard yet again – on the T-Birds’ winning team that ran a seasonal-best 3:48.68.

This is Thompson’s second time being honored as M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in indoor track & field this year. She is the fourth female athlete from Cloud County to earn this distinction in indoor track & field.