NCAA & NJCAA ITF National Athletes of the Week (Feb. 9)
NEW ORLEANS – Collegiate track & field athletes have shown no signs of slowing down this indoor season.
All-time marks continue to be turned in on a weekly basis across each division.
Here are the eight athletes who were named National Athletes of the Week by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Tuesday. Some of whom have played a major role in rearranging the record book.
- NCAA Division I Men – Tripp Piperi, Texas
- NCAA Division I Women – Athing Mu, Texas A&M
- NCAA Division II Men – Trevor Bassitt, Ashland
- NCAA Division II Women – Denisha Cartwright, Minnesota State
- NCAA Division III Men – Taylor Rooney, Gustavus Adolphus
- NCAA Division III Women – Lexi LeFever, UW-River Falls
- NJCAA Men – Matteo Capello, Vincennes (Ind.)
- NJCAA Women – Joniar Thomas, South Plains (Texas)
Find out more about each of these runners by clicking their names or 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 eight collegiate indoor track & field athletes, when applicable (male and female for each of the three NCAA divisions 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 – Tripp Piperi, Texas
Senior | Throws
The Woodlands, Texas
Tripp Piperi is a one-man wrecking crew this season.
It doesn’t matter what’s standing in his way when he has a weighted orb in his hand: collegiate history, facility records and school records are all in danger when he steps into the circle.
Just this past weekend at the Charlie Thomas Invitational, Piperi launched the shot 21.74m (71-4) to become the second-best performer in collegiate history. Only record-holder Payton Otterdahl of North Dakota State stands between him at the top spot at 21.81m (71-6¾). Piperi got a leg up on former Longhorn great Ryan Crouser, who previously sat tied for the No. 2 mark in collegiate history at 21.73m (71-3¾), which also stood as the Texas school record.
Earlier in the series, Piperi hit 21.62m (70-11¾) for what was the sixth-best collegiate effort (You can see why that is now seventh). Coupled with his No. 2 effort, Piperi is the only collegian with two marks of 21.62m (70-11¾) in a single indoor series.
This is the second time in the past three weeks that Piperi has been named National Athlete of the Week. He previously earned the honor based on his effort at the Wooo Pig Classic.
NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Athing Mu, Texas A&M
Freshman | Mid-Distance
Trenton, New Jersey
Is there anything that Athing Mu can’t do?
Mu became the fourth fastest American woman and fourth fastest collegian of all-time over 400 meters this past weekend with her 50.52 scorcher at the Charlie Thomas Invitational in College Station, Texas. It also dipped under the World U20 record and set a new Texas A&M best.
This was just another bead added to an incredible string of performances so far this season for the phenomenal freshman. Mu, who has now been named National Athlete of the Week twice in 2021, is already the collegiate record holder over 600 meters (1:25.80), the fifth fastest collegian over 800 meters (2:01.07) and split 50.03 on a 4×400 relay earlier to lead the Aggies to a comeback victory at the Texas Tech Invitational.
NCAA DIVISION II MEN – Trevor Bassitt, Ashland
Senior | Sprints/Hurdles
Bluffton, Ohio
Trevor Bassitt entered rare territory following his performances at the American Track League.
In the final event of the day, the senior from Bluffton, Ohio turned in a blistering time of 45.27 over 400 meters to demolish the NCAA DII record in the event. Not only does he take over the collegiate lead in the 400, he is also now ranked No. 3 in the world.
The previous divisional record on a 200-meter track was 46.05 set by Josh Scott of Saint Augustine’s in 2010. It is also the fastest time ever run by a NCAA DII athlete at 400 meters, regardless of track size. The previous best of 45.67 in 2019 came from former teammate Myles Pringle at the 2019 NCAA Championships in Pittsburg, Kansas.
His first open 400 of the year was a PR of 1.06 seconds, lowering his previous best of 46.33 clocked at the GVSU Big Meet in 2020.
Prior to his record-breaking two-lapper – like 45 minutes before – Bassitt became the No. 2 performer all-time in DII history in the 60H. He placed fourth in the finals in 7.68 for a new PR by 0.02 seconds. He ranks second among all collegians this year.
This is the third National Athlete of the Week honor for Bassitt this year and his fifth overall during the indoor season.
NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Denisha Cartwright, Minnesota State
Sophomore | Sprints/Hurdles
Nassau, Bahamas
Denisha Cartwright continues to get faster each week.
The native of Nassau, Bahamas, turned in three nationally ranked performances – with two of them sitting among the top of the Descending Order List – following season best efforts at the Ted Nelson Dual.
Cartwright’s best event of the day was the 60H, as she quickly separated herself from the rest of the field to take the victory in 8.62 seconds. Her time takes over the national lead in the event by 0.01 seconds over teammate Mackenzie Keune, giving the Mavericks the top-2 times in NCAA DII.
Later, Cartwright returned track to win the 200 in 24.42c (24.78), which has her ranked No. 2 on the Descending Order List. She also finished second in the 60 in 7.61 – good for No. 11 in the nation.
This is the first time in program history that a female athlete from Minnesota State has been named National Athlete of the Week during the indoor season.
NCAA DIVISION III MEN – Taylor Rooney, Gustavus Adolphus
Senior | Hurdles
Andover, Minnesota
Taylor Rooney had been knocking on the door of NCAA Division III history for a while.
Well, this past weekend at a dual meet against Bethel (Minn.), Rooney kicked that door in and firmly entrenched his name among the top sprint hurdlers in divisional history with his 7.87 effort in the 60H. Rooney became the fifth fastest performer in NCAA DIII history in the process.
Just 0.05 seconds separates Rooney from the No. 2 spot on the all-time chart, currently occupied by Terrence Gibson of Worcester State since 2004. Luke Campbell of Salisbury owns the top mark at 7.75 from his win at the 2014 NCAA Indoor Championships.
That’s not all that Rooney did at the meet: Rooney also tied the NCAA DIII lead in the high jump at 2.06m (6-9) and matched the No. 13 performer on the Descending Order List in the 200.
This is the third time in the past two years that Rooney has been named National Athlete of the Week during the indoor season. Rooney previously earned the honor on January 21, 2020 and February 25, 2020, following other notable performances.
NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Lexi LeFever, UW-River Falls
Junior | Sprints & Jumps
Hudson, Wisconsin
Lexi LeFever couldn’t wait to compete again.
The junior from Hudson, Wisconsin, made up for lost time at a dual meet against UW-Stout this past weekend, winning three events – 60, 200, long jump – and notching marks in those first two events that rank her among the nation’s best. LeFever won the 60 in 7.78 and the 200 in 25.64, both of which currently left No. 2 in the nation by a slim margin (0.01 in the 60; 0.10 in the 200).
This is the first time in program history that a female athlete from UW-River Falls has been named National Athlete of the Week during the indoor season. David Paynotta previously was named National Athlete of the Week back on February 21, 2017.
NJCAA MEN – Matteo Cappelo, Vincennes (Ind.)
Sophomore | Pole Vault
Torino, Italy
Matteo Capello has quickly and quietly developed into one of the best vaulters in NJCAA history.
Just this past weekend at the IWU Midwest Indoor Classic, Capello became the No. 2 performer in NJCAA history with a 5.36m (17-6½) clearance to win the individual title.
Here’s the thing: Capello doesn’t only have one all-time top-10 mark. No. Capello currently owns five of the top-6 bars in NJCAA history, which includes four clearances as a freshman.
This marks the first time that a male athlete from Vincennes (Ind.) has been named National Athlete of the Week during the indoor season. Varvara Klyuchikova earned the program’s first honor back on January 31, 2017.
NJCAA WOMEN – Joniar Thomas, South Plains (Texas)
Freshman | Jumps
Joniar Thomas soared to the top of the NJCAA Descending Order List this past weekend.
Competing at the Angelo State Indoor/Outdoor Invitational, Thomas hit a mark of 5.93m (19-5½) in the long jump on her first attempt. Thomas then added a 5.81m (19-0¾) effort in Round 6 that would have also taken the national lead.
This is the fifth time in program history that a female athlete from South Plains College has been named National Athlete of the Week during the indoor season. The Texans have been honored in each of the past three years dating back to 2019.
