INDIANAPOLIS - The second pairing of Great Midwest Athletic Conference Women’s Indoor Track & Field Athletes of the Week was announced on Monday as Ursuline and Walsh earned honors.
 
The depth of the conference from the women’s programs has been on display with one automatic qualifier and nine provisional qualifiers for nationals through the first couple weeks of the season.
 
There have been six different conference event records set in the first two events of the year as well. The most recent weekend saw the 60-meter hurdles, pole vault, long jump and shot put standards, all fall.
 
Women’s Track Athlete of the Week
Janelle Perry
Ursuline
Junior
Akron, OH (Firestone HS)
 
Perry has now been named athlete of the week in track or field events eight different times spanning her decorated career.
 
After a winning a national title in the most recent outdoor season, Perry has her sights set on more national glory after two record-breaking performances at the Kent State Golden Flash Gala.
 
She now ranks second across all Division II in the 60-meter hurdles and the long jump after posting provisional and conference record marks in both events.
 
Perry broke the record in 2015 held by former Ursuline All-American Bea Indurain with a time of 8.50. She clipped Indurain’s previous-best mark of 8.54, four hundredths of a second.
 
Perry also broke her own record in the long jump with a new best of 6.02m (19’ 9”). She also ranks second nationally among 12 total provisional qualifiers only behind Diana Caldwell of Lincoln (MO) and her jump of 6.12m.
 
Women’s Field Athlete of the Week
Kaitlyn Barber
Walsh
Senior
Toledo, OH (Whitmer HS)
 
For the second straight event, Barber shattered her own Great Midwest conference record and automatically qualified to earn a trip to Pittsburg, Kan., for the 2018 national championships.
 
Barber cleared 4.02m (13’ 2.25”) in the pole vault, which was good enough for third place at the meet and currently ranks second best in all of DII. Barber competed against Division I competition at the Kent State Golden Flash Gala.
 
She has competed in two meets this season and has set the new conference record in each event. The senior topped her previous record from a week ago by almost two tenths of a meter.
 
Barber is a two-time NCAA DII All-American in the pole vault and is looking to continue that trend in her senior season for the Cavaliers.