White, Burkey, Brouw all earn MW weekly awards

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – After each posting the best mark of the season in the Mountain West Conference in their respective events, New Mexico’s Elizabeth White, Jake Burkey, and Ethan Brouw each claimed track and field weekly honors announced by the conference office on Tuesday.

White broke the Lobo indoor school record in the long jump, Burkey leapt to a major personal best in the same event, and Brouw hit a PR in the 800-meters at last weekend’s New Mexico Collegiate Classic at the Albuquerque Convention Center. “This is fantastic for our program, and we hope all of our students strive to reach the highest heights, fastest times, and longest distances,” said UNM head coach Joe Franklin. “To have all three climb the descending order list and be at the top of the conference, it shows that they are fully invested in their training and are trying to be the best version of themselves they can possibly be.”

White didn’t waste any time breaking the school record in the long jump, as she posted a mark of 6.25 meters (20’ 6.25”) on her first attempt last Friday. That topped Aasha Marler’s record of 6.22 meters (20’ 5.25”), which had stood since Feb. 13, 2015. White’s mark was the best by any Mountain West jumper this season, with Colorado State’s Taye Raymond second on the performance list at 6.20 meters (20’ 4.25”). White also ranks 14th overall on the NCAA performance list in the event, with the top-16 at the end of the season qualifying for the national championships.

Tuesday marked the second athlete of the week award for White this season, who first earned the honor on Jan. 24 after missing the school record by 0.25 inches with a long jump of 6.22 meters (20’ 5”) at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational.

Burkey followed White’s lead and jumped out to the best mark by any Mountain West male athlete this season at 7.75 meters (25’ 5.25”). That was a major improvement from his previous season and lifetime best of 7.52 meters (24’ 8.25”), which he achieved on Jan. 21 at the MLK Invitational. The leap also put Burkey on the national radar, as he checked in at No. 19 on the NCAA performance list entering this week of action.

Brouw earned his first-career weekly award by racing to his best-ever 800-meters time, with a mark of 1:48.07 minutes (converted from 1:48.68). That topped his previous best of 1:50.74 minutes (1:51.38) which he ran at last year’s New Mexico Team Open. Brouw sits atop the Mountain West performance list by more than two full seconds, ahead of Utah State’s Wyatt Evans at 1:50.42 minutes. It was also the 20th-fastest 800-meter time in the NCAA this season, as Brouw lifted himself into contention for a spot in the national championships.

It is the first time this season that a conference school has earned at least three of the weekly awards, and the first time New Mexico has achieved that feat since the weekly awards increased to six selections during the 2021-22 season. Overall this year the Lobos have earned seven weekly awards, which is the most by any school in the conference.

UNM Lobo Mountain West Athlete of the Week honors (as of Feb. 7, 2023)

The Lobos are in action again this weekend, with White and Burkey set to compete at home in the Don Kirby Invitational and Brouw headed to the West Coast for the UW Husky Classic in Seattle. Live coverage for the meets this weekend will be available online here.