IRVINE, Calif. -- After a vote by the PacWest sports information directors, Academy of Art's Mobolade Ajomale and Dixie State's Darian Murdock earned the highest athletic honor in the conference, being selected as the 2017-18 PacWest Male and Female Athletes of the Year.

Ajomale adds the honor to his still-growing trophy case that already includes eight national titles in men's track & field after his junior season. The sprinter was selected as the USTFCCCA Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year for NCAA Division II after he became the first runner in three years to sweep national titles in both the 100 and 200-meter dashes. He finished the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships with 21 points, which was the most of any track-only male athlete at the meet. During the PacWest meet, he earned four gold medals, winning the 100, 200, 400 and 4x100 races to earn recognition as the Track Athlete of the Meet.

Murdock wrapped up her decorated women's soccer career with his second-consecutive PacWest Player of the Year honor, becoming the first repeat selection since 2011. The senior scored a conference-leading 19 goals for 2.33 points per game. Murdock recorded three hat tricks during the regular season against Chaminade, Academy of Art and Western State. She helped the Trailblazers to an 8-5 record in conference play, which included a six-game winning streak. Against Holy Names, Murdock scored a golden goal in the 95th minute for a 2-1 victory. It was her 16th career game-winning goal, which is the new Dixie State program record.

Murdock is the first athlete from Dixie State and the first women's soccer player to win the honor. Ajomale is the first male track athlete to be named PacWest Athlete of the Year. The last Urban Knight to earn the recognition was Vashti Thomas in 2012-13 for women's track & field.