USTFCCCA Awards
By USTFCCCA Communications, USTFCCCA May 9, 2023   

M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week (May 9)

NEW ORLEANS — This season has been one for the record books.

Here are the M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week for May 9, 2023.

  • NCAA Division I Men – Kenneth Rooks, BYU
  • NCAA Division I Women – Katelyn Tuohy, NC State
  • NCAA Division II Men – Cordell Tinch, Pittsburg State
  • NCAA Division II Women – Divonne Franklin, California (Pa.)
  • NCAA Division III Men – Colin Kirkpatrick, Pomona-Pitzer
  • NCAA Division III Women – Victoria Kadiri, Johns Hopkins
  • NAIA Men – Dylan Kucera, Midland (Neb.)
  • NAIA Women – Princess Kara, Indiana Wesleyan
  • NJCAA DI Men – Trevor Gunzell, Coffeyville (Kan.) CC
  • NJCAA DI Women – Miracle Thompson, Cloud County (Kan.) CC
  • NJCAA DIII Men – Michael Bailey, Suffolk County (N.Y.) CC
  • NJCAA DIII Women – Taylor Harvey, Mohawk Valley (N.Y.) 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 – Kenneth Rooks, BYU

Junior | Distance | Walla Walla, Washington

Henry Rono. Kenneth Rooks.

Those are the two fastest men in collegiate history in the steeplechase.

Rooks put his name alongside Rono this past weekend at the Sound Running Track Fest in Walnut, California, when he clocked a huge PR of 8:17.62. That also gave Rooks a win over a talented field by exactly three seconds (George Beamish took runner-up honors in 8:20.62).

This is the first time that a male athlete has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season since Shaquille Walker on April 12, 2016.

NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Katelyn Tuohy, NC State

Junior | Distance | Stony Point, New York

Make it FOUR collegiate records for Katelyn Tuohy this year.

Tuohy, competing at the Sound Running Track Fest in Walnut, California, took down Jenny Simpson’s collegiate outdoor record in the 5000 meters with her 15:03.12 clocking in Walnut, California. Simpson (nee Barringer) still holds the absolute collegiate record at 15:01.70, a mark she ran indoors during her Bowerman-winning campaign.

Indoors, Tuohy set all-time collegiate bests in the 1500 (4:06.49), mile (4:24.46) and 3000 meters (8:35.20). Each of those three marks were recorded on the same track at The Amory.

This is the second time this season that a female athlete from NC State has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week. Tuohy joins teammate Allie Hays in that regard.

NCAA DIVISION II MEN – Cordell Tinch, Pittsburg State

Sophomore | Hurdles/Jumps | Green Bay, Wisconsin

Have yourself a meet, Cordell Tinch!

Tinch made history three times at the MIAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships this weekend: twice in the hurdles, once in the long jump.

We’ll start with the hurdles: That’s most impressive.

On Sunday, Tinch became the second-fastest athlete in collegiate history under all conditions in the 110-meter hurdles when he blistered the track in 12.97 (+3.0). Only Renaldo Nehemiah went faster back in 1975 at 12.91 (+3.5). That came one day after Tinch clocked another scintillating mark at 13.07 (+2.8) in the prelims.

And in the long jump on Saturday, Tinch flew a wind-aided 8.24m (27-0½) to secure the second-farthest all-conditions mark in NCAA DII history behind Kevin Dilworth’s wind-legal NCAA DII record of 8.47m (27-9½).

If that’s not enough, Tinch won the high jump by clearing 2.18m (7-1¾).

This is the second time this season that Tinch has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week. Tinch previously earned national honors on April 18.

NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Divonne Franklin, California (Pa.)

Senior | Sprints | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Divonne Franklin is ready for the postseason.

Franklin, competing at the West Virginia Last Chance, clocked an NCAA DII-leading 22.92 in the 200 meters, an event she won by more than two seconds. That mark tops the Descending Order List by nearly two-tenths of a second and is the best in the division since 2013.

Earlier in the season, Franklin moved up to No. 7 in division history – and currently sits No. 2 on the Descending Order List – in the 100 meters at 11.27.

This is the first time in program history that an athlete from California (Pa.) has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season.

NCAA DIVISION III MEN – Colin Kirkpatrick, Pomona-Pitzer

Junior | Distance | Queenstown, New Zealand

The NCAA DIII steeplechase record stood for 15 years.

Colin Kirkpatrick thought that was more than long enough.

Kirkpatrick, competing at the Sound Running Track Fest in Walnut, California, shattered the all-time division best in the event when he crossed the finish line in 8:41.92. That shaved nearly two seconds off the previous best of 8:43.78 set by Peter Kosegi in 2008.

The Pomona-Pitzer star made overtures at the record earlier in the season when he went 8:44.21 at the Bryan Clay Invitational, which made him the then-No. 4 performer in division history.

This is the first time since 2019 that a male athlete from Pomona-Pitzer has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season (Carter Floyd on April 9).

NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Victoria Kadiri, Johns Hopkins

Junior | Sprints/Hurdles/Jumps | Lynn, Massachusetts

Let’s do some math.

First place in the 100 meters.

First place in the 100-meter hurdles.

First place in the long jump.

First place in the triple jump.

First place as part of the 4×100 relay.

Add it up: Victoria Kadiri scored 42.5 points at the Centennial Conference Outdoor Championships this past weekend to lead Johns Hopkins to the team title in a rout.

Kadiri stood out most in the long jump, where she soared 6.33m (20-9¼) to become the No. 2 performer in NCAA DIII history. That is the best mark in the division since Skye Morrison of Wartburg set the current all-time division best of 6.49m (21-3½).

This is the first time since 2015 that a female athlete from Johns Hopkins has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season (Frances Loeb on March 31).

NAIA MEN – Dylan Kucera, Midland (Neb.)

Senior | Throws | Fremont, Nebraska

Dylan Kucera made his final effort in his final Great Plains Conference Championship special.

Already the winner with an outdoor PR 19.15m (62-10), Kucera added more than a foot to that – all the way to 19.47m (63-10½) for a new NAIA all-time best. His series also included an effort of 19.11m (62-8½) as he now owns three of the four longest-known marks in NAIA outdoor history. This also made Kucera the owner of both NAIA shot records, having grabbed the indoor standard of 19.17m (62-10 ¾) in winning a fourth national indoor title in March.

Kucera also did damage to the all-time list a day earlier in the hammer throw, winning with a PR 64.15m (210-6) to move to No. 12 on the NAIA all-time list.

Kucera is the first male athlete from Midland to be named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season.

NAIA WOMEN – Princess Kara, Indiana Wesleyan

Junior | Throws | Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Princess Kara has been making serious damage to the NAIA all-time discus list this spring

However, she took it to a new level at the Crossroads League Outdoor Championships. No one in the field would exceed her opening throw of 51.54m (169-1), but she added much more in Round 5 with a heave of 55.31m (181-6). That broke the NAIA all-time record of 52.74m (173-1). Kara added a throw of 54.11m (177-7) in the final round and now owns the top-2 marks in NAIA history (and five of the top-7).

A day later, Kara won the shot put with a season best of 14.14m (46-4¾). That’s No. 5 on the yearly NAIA list. In March she won the NAIA Indoor Championships with an indoor PR of 15.25m (50-0½).

Kara is the first female athlete from Indiana Wesleyan to be named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season.

NJCAA DIVISION I MEN – Trevor Gunzell, Coffeyville (Kan.) CC

Freshman | Throws | Clarendon, Jamaica

Trevor Gunzell – almost impossible to beat this outdoor season – was unbeatable at the NJCAA Region VI Outdoor Championships.

However, with a PR 59.39m (194-10) discus he found himself in third place Friday as Round 6 began. A final heave of 60.18m (197-5) gave him a hard-fought victory over Christopher Crawford of Barton (Kan.) CC’s 59.93m (196-7) to continue his undefeated streak this year. Gunzell’s effort moved him to No. 7 on the all-time NJCAA list with Crawford now at No. 8.

A day later Gunzell didn’t need any last-round heroics in the shot put, winning by 0.55m (1-9¾) with his second-round effort of 17.58m (57-8¼). The NJCAA leader in the shot at 18.70m (61-4¼), Gunzell rates No. 7 all-time and has lost just once this spring (to NCAA Division I competitors).

Gunzell is the second male athlete from Coffeyville to be named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season.

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

Sophomore | Hurdles/Sprints | Abia State, Nigeria

Miracle Thompson had a busy final day at the NJCAA Region VI Outdoor Championships.

In her first event, she won the 100-meter hurdles in a wind-aided 13.25 in registering the =No. 11 performance in NJCAA history under all conditions in winning by 0.53 seconds.

Thompson later clocked a PR 1:04.00 to win the 400 hurdles by 3.32 seconds before finishing off with a third-leg carry on the Cloud County’s victorious 4×400 relay, which won by 7.73 seconds in 3:49.78. She contributed 22.5 points as the T-Birds tallied 182.5 points to earn runner-up honors in Region VI scoring and tallied 256 points to win the Kansas Jayhawk CC Conference West Division.

Thompson is the second female athlete from Cloud County to be named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season.

NJCAA DIVISION III MEN – Michael Bailey, Suffolk County (N.Y.) CC

Freshman | Sprints | Lake Ronkonkoma, New York

Michael Bailey was ready to run sub-50, and the Tom Farrell Classic was as good time as any.

Bailey not only broke that threshold in the 400 meters with a time of 49.41, he became the year’s second-fastest NJCAA Division III athlete with a time that would have won last year’s NJCAA Division III Championships. In the process he also defeated a quartet of racers from NJCAA Division I Monroe-New Rochelle (N.Y.).

Bailey is the fifth male athlete from Suffolk County to be named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season.

NJCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Taylor Harvey, Mohawk Valley (N.Y.) CC

Freshman | Distance/Mid-Distance | Clinton, New York

Taylor Harvey already had one NJCAA Region III title before Saturday’s final action took place.

Harvey made it four of a kind when the bulk of the meet was continued, adding victories in the 800, 1500 and 5000 meters to the 10,000 she won the weekend before in becoming a national leader at 41:17.07.

Harvey won the 800 (2:21.20) by 3.82 seconds and claimed the 1500 (5:29.91) by 11.41 seconds before taking the 5000 (21:31.63) by 31.46 seconds, her largest winning margin of the meet. She wasn’t done, however, finishing off the day with a leg on the third-place 4×400 squad, which ran 4:38.71.

Harvey is the third female athlete from Mohawk Valley to be named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season.