Murfin Named National Male Athlete of the Week
Jan 22, 2019
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced their athletes of the week for the NCAA and NJCAA on Tuesday and named UD's Blaze Murfin the National Male Athlete of the Week for NCAA Division III.
Blaze Murfin (Dallas City, Ill./Illini West) has already made his mark on the 2019 track and field season. Competing for just the second time this indoor season at the Sol Butler Classic this past weekend, he swept both throwing events and established nation-leading marks in each.
It was in the weight throw where Murfin heaved the implement 20.39m (66-10¾), which not only put him on top of the national list by more than one foot, but also netted him a new PR. His previous PR of 19.62m (64-4½) came from the NCAA Championships last year.
Then in the shot put, an event in which he won his first NCAA title this past outdoor season, Murfin notched a mark of 17.49m (57-4¾). That is a nation-leading mark by seven inches.
Murfin was also named National Athlete of the Week for the indoor season on December 5, 2017.
NCAA Division I Men – Grant Holloway, Florida
NCAA Division I Women – Abike Egbeniyi, Middle Tennessee State
NCAA Division II Men – Carey McLeod, Emporia State
NCAA Division II Women – Monisha Lewis, San Francisco State
NCAA Division III Men – Blaze Murfin, Dubuque
NCAA Division III Women – Erica Oawster, UW-Eau Claire
NJCAA Division I Men – Wesley Banguria, Colby CC
NJCAA Division I Women – Kristal Liburd, New Mexico JC
