IRVINE, Calif. – Academy of Art earned three Athlete of the Week awards and Fresno Pacific won one after three PacWest athletes posted the best marks in their events in the nation so far this year.
 
MEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Saba Khvichava, Academy of Art
So. – Poti, Georgia
Khvichava became the third PacWest runner to record a provisional qualifier in the steeplechase, posting the second-best time in the event in the PacWest. At the Mike Fanelli Track Classic, he finished the steeplechase in a time of 9:00.01. That mark is the eighth-best in NCAA Division II so far this season. That same day, Khvichava raced in the 5,000 and finished with a time of 15:29.25.
 
MEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Mathieu Tshani, Academy of Art
Gr. – Lille, France
Tshani became the national leader in the triple jump for NCAA Division II over the weekend. On his third attempt, he recorded a mark of 15.59 meters, which was good enough to win the event and was the second-best mark in the country. Then on his final attempt, he jumped 15.89 meters to become the new national leader in the event. He also competed in the long jump, where he took eighth place with a distance of 7.10 meters, which ranks fourth in the PacWest.
 
WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Danae Manibog, Fresno Pacific
Sr. – Clovis, Calif.
Manibog posted two provisional qualifiers last week in the 200 and 400-meter dash. In the 400, she finished in 53.91 seconds, which is not only the best time in the PacWest, but also all of NCAA Division II. The second-best time in the nation is held by her teammate Madison Flores, who finished that race in 54.51 seconds. In the 200, Manibog recorded a provisional qualifier time of 24.38 seconds, which is just 0.15 seconds behind her personal best. She ranks 15th in the nation in the 200-meter dash.
 
WOMEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Marie-Jeanne Ourega, Academy of Art
Fr. – L’Hay-les-Roses, France
Ourega set new PacWest season-bests both on the track and in the field at the Stanford Invitational. In the 100-meter hurdles, Ourega finished in 13.75 seconds, which at the time was the best mark in the nation and now ranks second. In the long jump, Ourega recorded a distance of 6.43 meters, which is 27 centimeters better than the second-best mark in the country. For her performance, she was named the USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week for NCAA Division II women's track & field.
 

PREVIOUS PACWEST ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
DATE	MEN’S TRACK	MEN’S FIELD	WOMEN’S TRACK	WOMEN’S FIELD
March 22	Bryan Banuelos	Brett Lombardi	Kyla Richardson	Nicole Warwick
March 29	Ayrton Ledesma	Moe Bradley	Jaylah Walker	Sara Wagenveld