COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – New Mexico’s Mercy Kirarei has been named the Mountain West Women’s Track Athlete and Freshman of the Week, while Colorado State graduate student Michaela Hawkins was tabbed the MW Women’s Field Athlete of the Week. New Mexico’s Evans Kiplagat has been named the MW Men’s Track Athlete and Freshman of the Week, while Wyoming sophomore Cam Burkett has been selected as the Men’s Field Athlete of the Week.

WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETE/FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK 
MERCY KIRAREI, NEW MEXICO
Freshman, Eldoret, Kenya

  • Won the 1,500-meter run at the UNM Spring Invitational with a personal-best time of 4:18.47.
  • Time ranks first in the Mountain West and fifth in the nation this season.

 

WOMEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK 
MICHAELA HAWKINS, COLORADO STATE
Graduate Student, Roseville, Minnesota/Roseville Area HS

  • Won the discus throw at the Trojan Invitational, topping the field with the second-best mark in school history (61.02m).
  • The personal-best mark ranks first in the MW and the nation in 2024.

 

MEN’S TRACK ATHLETE/FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK 
EVANS KIPLAGAT, NEW MEXICO
Freshman, Eldorat, Kenya/Friends Bwake Boys HS

  • Won the 1,500-meter run at the UNM Spring Invitational with a career-best time of 3:45.22.
  • Ran the best 1500m time in the MW and eighth-fastest in the nation this season.

 

MEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK 
CAM BURKETT, WYOMING
Sophomore, Casper, Wyoming/Kelly Walsh HS

  • Placed first in the shot put at the Spank Blasing Invite with the fifth-best mark in school history (18.60m).
  • Shot put throw is the top mark in the Mountain West and 10th in the nation in 2024.