Kansas City, Mo. - The MIAA announced this week's outdoor track & field Athletes of the Week Tuesday afternoon, tabbing Samariae Bonds and Peyton Barton with honors. Both were named Co-Field Athletes of the Week, as others within the conference shared the awards due to quality performances. This marks Barton's third straight week winning the award during the outdoor season, also receiving the honor six times during the indoor season. 

Samariae Bonds was with most of the team at the Midwest Classic on Friday, hosted by Emporia State. In her first meet of the 2024 outdoor season, Bonds placed 1st in the Shot Put. Her throw of 15.27m was an NCAA qualifying mark, finishing just under 8 feet ahead of 2nd place. That mark is the best in the MIAA this season and third in all of NCAA Division II. 

Peyton Barton was part of the throws crew that made the trip to Warrensburg, Missouri to compete at the Mule Relays hosted by Central Missouri. In the two events he competed in, Barton brought home a 1st and a 2nd place finish. He won the Hammer Throw with an NCAA qualifying toss of 68.09m, setting a new school record. That throw also sits at the top of all NCAA Division II by nearly a foot. In the Discus, Barton was the runner up with an NCAA mark of 56.33m. That is his best this season, ranking third among all NCAA DII throwers. 

In the USTFCCCA National Ratings, the men's team is now the #2 team in the nation and the women's team is up to #11. Both teams jumped up in the Regional Rankings as well, the men's team ranked #2 and the women's team is at #5. The teams will head to Fayetteville, Arkansas to compete at the John McDonnell Invitational on Thursday and Friday, then they'll compete at the Pittsburg State University Tune-Up on Saturday.