LONG BEACH, Calif. - The PacWest Conference announced the first weekly honors of the 2026 Outdoor Track and Field season on Tuesday afternoon. The Sunbird men captured both Track Athlete of the Week and Field Athlete of the Week thanks to the combined efforts of
Shemar Palmer and
Tevž Podlipnik.
At the West Coast Relays, senior superstar Palmer won both the 400 meters and 200 meters, with a personal best of 20.57 seconds in the 200m, placing him as the top NCAA-ranked athlete and surpassing his previous provisional qualifying mark. He has captured ten first-place finishes overall this season and is ranked ninth in the 400m with a time of 47.01. In the field, freshman Podlipnik improved his NCAA provisional mark with a 72.05-meter javelin throw, earning the number one ranking in the NCAA. He drastically improved from his initial 65.71m mark at the Sunbird Invitational, hitting a personal best in his first year as a Sunbird.
Fresno Pacific Track and Field has dominated the season, reigning supreme at the top of the PacWest preseason standings and garnering attention on the national level. On Tuesday morning, the USTFCCCA (US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association) announced the Division II National Rankings for week one. The men's team was ranked third overall, while the women's team was ranked seventh in the nation. The 'Birds have collected over 20 NCAA provisional qualifying marks this season and will likely garner more as the season progresses.
NEXT UP: The Sunbirds compete in three separate meets this weekend: Texas Relays, Stanford Invite, and Mike Fanelli Distance Carnival from Friday, April 3rd to Saturday, April 4th.
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