USTFCCCA Awards
By USTFCCCA Communications, USTFCCCA March 31, 2025   

M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week (March 31, 2025)

NEW ORLEANS – They’re already breaking records.

Here are our M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week for March 31, 2025!

  • co-NCAA Division I Men – Ishmael Kipkurui, New Mexico
  • co-NCAA Division I Men – Liam Murphy, Villanova
  • co-NCAA Division I Women – Lianna Davidson, Georgia
  • co-NCAA Division I Women – Pamela Kosgei, New Mexico
  • NCAA Division II Men – Caleb Calvin, Pittsburg State
  • NCAA Division II Women – Brynn King, Roberts Wesleyan
  • NCAA Division III Men – DonTre Sinegal, McMurry
  • NCAA Division III Women – Nikki Boon, Emory
  • NAIA Men – Zach Turner, Doane (Neb.)
  • NAIA Women – Heather Murphy, Montreat (N.C.)
  • NJCAA Division I Men – LeBron James, New Mexico JC
  • NJCAA Division I Women – Tania Da Silva, New Mexico JC
  • NJCAA Division III Men – Makai Gordon, Hudson Valley (N.Y.) CC
  • NJCAA Division III Women – Kimiko Quayle, FIT (N.Y.)

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.

co-NCAA DIVISION I MEN – Ishmael Kipkurui, New Mexico

Freshman | Distance
Baringo County, Kenya

Ishmael Kipkurui was already a World U20 Cross Country champion.

Now, the New Mexico freshman phenom is a collegiate record-holder.

Kipkurui ran 26:50.21 over 10,000 meters this past weekend at the Sound Running TEN to take down Nico Young’s year-old collegiate best in the event. That winning performance also gave Kipkurui the World Athletics Championships automatic qualifying standard, which is anything 27:00 or quicker, and made him the 16th fastest Kenyan in history as well.

Collegians have descended on San Juan Capistrano, California, to run fast and they’ve certainly done that. In fact, four all-time top-10 performances came from that race, including Kipkurui’s new CR: Habtom Samuel at No. 2 in 26:50.21 (his second time under 27:00); Casey Clinger of BYU in 27:11.00 for No. 6; and Denis Kipngetich of Oklahoma State at 27:20.10 for No. 7.

This is the third time in program history that a male athlete from New Mexico has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season. Kipkurui joins two-time honoree Josh Kerr in that regard (Kerr earned national weekly honors in 2017 and 2018).

co-NCAA DIVISION I MEN – Liam Murphy, Villanova

Fifth Year | Mid-Distance
Millstone, New Jersey

It was only a matter of time.

Three minutes, 33.02 seconds, to be exact.

Liam Murphy smashed both the outdoor collegiate record – and the absolute collegiate record – in the 1500 meters with his 3:33.02 clocking this past weekend at the Raleigh Relays. Murphy led two other athletes under the former CR set by Eliud Kipsang back in 2019: teammate Marco Langon in 3:33.38 for the No. 2 performance; Gary Martin of Virginia in 3:33.71 for No. 3 (Martin shared the previous absolute collegiate record of 3:33.41 with Ethan Strand of North Carolina).

This is the third time in program history that a male athlete from Villanova has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season. Murphy joins the 4xMile squad from last year, as well as Jordy Williamsz from 2015 in that regard.

co-NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Lianna Davidson, Georgia

Senior | Throws
Sydney, Australia

Lianna Davidson couldn’t wait for the outdoor season to begin.

After all, you can’t throw the javelin indoors. Well, you can – but yeah…

Davidson recorded two of the top-three farthest throws in collegiate history back on March 22 at the Yellow Jacket Invitational. The Georgia standout, who joined the program as a transfer from Texas A&M, launched the implement 62.59m (205-4) in Round 5 for what was then the second-best mark in collegiate history, and then hurled it 63.79m (209-3) in Round 6 to cement her spot.

Rhema Otabor’s CR of 64.19m (210-7) is within shouting distance and Davidson would love nothing more than to dethrone the former Nebraska standout. After all, Davidson finished runner-up to Otabor at each of the past two NCAA Outdoor Championships.

This is the fifth time in program history that a female athlete from Georgia has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season. Davidson joins 2018 The Bowerman winner – and three-time honoree – Keturah Orji and 2021 honoree Marie-Therese Obst in that regard.

co-NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Pamela Kosgei, New Mexico

Freshman | Distance
Elgeyo-Marakwet County, Kenya

Pamela Kosgei fought hard over 10,000 meters at the Sound Running TEN.

Kosgei hung tough and ultimately crossed the finish line in 31:02.73 to notch the second fastest performance in collegiate history behind 2024 The Bowerman winner Parker Valby’s 30:50.43 CR. The New Mexico standout barely missed the event’s World Athletics Championships automatic qualifying standard of 31:00.

This is the second time in program history that a female athlete from New Mexico has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season. Kosgei joins 2016 honoree Courtney Frerichs in that regard.

NCAA DIVISION II MEN – Caleb Calvin, Pittsburg State

Senior | Throws
Carthage, Missouri

Caleb Calvin’s throw at the Southwest Baptist Invitational put him in elite company.

Calvin launched the javelin a collegiate-leading 78.71m (258-3), which also made him the No. 4 performer on the NCAA DII all-time chart. That would have also placed him third at the NCAA DI Outdoor Championships last year.

After his first two attempts, Calvin refused to dip under 70 meters (229-7¾), going 78.71m (258-3), 76.65m (251-5¾), 75.42m (247-5¼), 77.93m (255-8). That would give Calvin five efforts in the top-20 of NCAA DII history… in one day.

This marks the seventh time a male athlete from Pittsburg State has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season. Calvin joins Cordell Tinch, Louis Rollins, Brett Thompson, Kai Miller, Garrett Appier, and Tanner McNutt. 

NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Brynn King, Roberts Wesleyan

Graduate Student | Pole Vault
The Woodlands, Texas

We’re running out of superlatives to describe Brynn King.

The Roberts Wesleyan graduate student made history again on Saturday, breaking the collegiate pole vault record with a 4.75m (15-7) jump at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays. A mark for the ages, King eclipsed Olivia Gruver of Washington who posted 4.73m (15-6¼) six years ago. She surpassed the previous NCAA DII record, her personal best, of 4.68m (15-4¼) by nearly three inches and now holds three of the top-10 all-time marks. 

King entered the competition at 4.37m (14-4) and cleared the height in a breeze. Her next attempt at 4.57m (15-0) yielded the same results – one try, one make. As the only competitor left, King passed on 4.67m (15-3¾) and went for it all. No doubt, the decision paid off.  

This marks the third time that King has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during an outdoor season. King previously earned national weekly honors on March 26, 2024 and April 2, 2024.

NCAA DIVISION III MEN – DonTre Singeal, McMurry

Senior | Hurdles/Jumps
Benbrook, Texas

DonTre Sinegal continues to do it all.

Through the first three weeks of the outdoor season, Sinegal leads the nation in both the 110-meter hurdles and long jump, and sits second on the Descending Order List in the triple jump. Sinegal started his season at the HSU/Nelson/MCM Tri Meet on March 6 where he bounded a wind-aided 15.11m (49-7) for what was an NCAA DIII-leading mark at the time. Then, he followed that up with a wind-aided 13.92 (+2.7) clocking in the 110H at the TLU D3 Challenge on March 22. Finally, Sinegal soared a wind-aided division-leading 7.39m (24-3) in the long jump this past weekend at the Bobcat Invitational & Multi.

If Sinegal’s prowess in multiple events sounds familiar, it should. Sinegal qualified in three events at each of the past four NCAA Track & Field Championships between the indoor and outdoor season: 60H, long jump and triple jump indoors; 110H, long jump and triple jump outdoors. His best finish at an NCAA Championship meet is second (2025 triple jump).

This is the second year in a row that Sinegal has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season. Sinegal previously earned national weekly honors on March 26, 2024, following a similar set of performances.

NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Nikki Boon, Emory 

Grad Student | Combined Events
Dronten, Netherlands

Nikki Boon is coming for all of the NCAA DIII combined event records.

Just a few weeks after winning the pentathlon title at the 2025 NCAA DIII Indoor Track & Field Championships win an NCAA DIII record-setting 4061 points, Boon established herself as the heptathlon GOAT at the Emory Thrills in the Hills. Boon amassed a staggering 5638 points over two days and obliterated Megan Wallace’s former seven-event best by nearly 200 points.

The Emory standout, who transferred from NCAA DI Coastal Carolina, set PRs in four events inside the multi: 100-meter hurdles at 14.23; 200 meters at 24.95; 800 meters at 2:16.77; and the long jump at 5.91m (19-4¾). All of those marks were wind-legal.

This is the second time in program history that a female athlete from Emory has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season. Boon joins 2023 honoree Annika Urban in that regard.

NAIA MEN – Zach Turner, Doane (Neb.)

Senior | Hurdles
Crete, Nebraska

Strongs winds are rarely a hurdler’s friend, but Zach Turner handled them seamlessly for a pair of victories at Neb.-Kearney’s Central Nebraska Challenge on Friday.

First on his schedule was the 110-meter hurdles and Turner – the NAIA Indoor 60-meter hurdle champion this winter – rode a stiff 7.6 m/s tailwind to victory in 13.49 seconds. That’s the fastest in NAIA history under any conditions but isn’t allowable for a qualifying time as the wind reading exceeded the 4.0 m/s maximum.

A couple hours later he battled a lap of the strong breezes to win the 400-meter hurdles in 51.11, taking 0.06 seconds off his PR from finishing third in last year’s NAIA Outdoor Championships. The time – fastest in the NAIA this year – also moved him up a notch to No. 5 all-time among NAIA athletes.

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

NAIA WOMEN – Heather Murphy, Montreat (N.C.)

Freshman | Distances
Portarlington, Ireland

The star-studded lineups at the Raleigh Relays got an additional boost with Heather Murphy making her debut in the 10,000 meters.

In the final race on Friday night’s schedule, Murphy finished runner-up in the final open section in 33:45.36. That’s not only the fastest ever by an NAIA freshman, it makes her No. 3 among NAIA athletes from any class.

Murphy was runner-up in the 5000 at the NAIA Indoor Championships after taking fourth place in the NAIA Cross Country Championships in the fall.

This is the first time in program history that a female athlete from Montreat has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season, but it’s the third time in any sport for Murphy, who was twice honored in cross country this past fall.

NJCAA DIVISION I MEN – LeBron James, New Mexico JC

Freshman | Javelin
Trinidad and Tobago

LeBron James has likely had plenty of questions about the basketball star with the same name, but perhaps javelin throwing will become a more popular subject – especially after his accomplishments at the Texas Relays.

James twice threw beyond 70 meters with a best of 73.86 (242-4) to finish third among the meet’s top collegians and open athletes. That makes puts him No. 3 on the all-time NJCAA list with the best mark since 2018. One of those ahead of him – Tom Pukstys of the College of DuPage (Ill.) – would later set an American record and twice be an Olympian.

James started off the season with a New Mexico JC school record of 65.31m (214-3) to win Abilene Christian’s Wes Kittley Invitational. All six of this throws at the Texas Relays went beyond that.

This is the eighth time that a male athlete from New Mexico JC has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season. James joins Tapiwanashe (Carli) Makarawu (twice in 2024, once in 2023), Donald Chiyangwa (twice in 2023) and Andrei Romanov (twice in 2021) in that regard.

NJCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Tania Da Silva, New Mexico JC

Sophomore | Hammer
Porto Alegre, Brazil

It was a busy weekend for Tania Da Silva, who competed in the hammer throw in two meets across three days. While all seven of her measured efforts would have landed her in the NJCAA all-time top-10, one of those moved her all the way to No. 2.

Her first effort Thursday at the Texas Relays set the tone, as a mark of 59.31m (194-7) moved her to No. 5 all-time. Two rounds later she went even farther – 60.60m (198-11) – for the No. 2 throw in NJCAA history. Only the NJCAA record of 61.74m (202-7) from 2017 is longer.

Da Silva finished seventh among collegians from other divisions at the Texas Relays along with being third at Texas State’s Bobcat Invitational on Saturday with a best of 59.08m (193-10). In two years she has yet to lose to another NJCAA athlete in the hammer or weight throw, collecting three national titles.

This is the fourth time that female athletes from New Mexico JC have been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season. Da Silva joins a trio of award winners from 2023 in that regard – Anisha Gibbons, Calisha Taylor and the 4×400 relay team.

NJCAA DIVISION III MEN – Makai Gordon, Hudson Valley (N.Y.) CC

Freshman | High Jump
Albany, New York

Makai Gordon may have just found himself a new sport.

Gordon was known as a basketball player in high school – but that was prior to his performance at last weekend’s Southern New Hampshire Spring Invitational, where his 2.00m (6-6¾) clearance in the high jump with a clean record gave him the lead.

He would eventually finish second, and the 2-meter clearance is the highest among NJCAA DIII athletes since 2019. His previous best this year was 1.80m (5-10¾) indoors at the Middlebury Field and Track Meet indoors in February.

This is the fourth time that a male athlete from Hudson Valley CC has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season. Gordon joins Brooks Robson (once each in 2024 and 2023) and Charles Benichoux (2023) in that regard.

NJCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Kimiko Quayle, FIT (N.Y.)

Sophomore | Mid-Distances
Demarest, New Jersey

Kimiko Quayle made a big noise Saturday at The Big Hurt meet at St. John’s (N.Y.).

Quayle took the NJCAA DIII lead in two events – the 1500 and 800 meters – but it was her first race that had the most that had the most significance as her runner-up finish in 4:47.23 – a PR by 0.89 seconds – was fast enough to have won the NJCAA DIII title in any year going back to at least 2013.

Quayle herself has one of those titles as reigning NJCAA DIII champ in the 1500. She was also runner-up in the 800 last year and clocked 2:27.31 in that event for her second national lead this year.

This is the first time in program history that an athlete from FIT has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season, but it’s the third time in any sport for Quayle, who was twice honored in cross country in 2023.