Missouri State sophomore Leander Ernest has been named this week’s Missouri Valley Conference Female Track Athlete of the Week, the league office announced Wednesday.

Ernest turned in a stellar performance for the Bears, placing fourth overall in the 800-meter run in a time of 2:09.98. Her time in the 800-meter sets a new Missouri Valley Conference leading mark. In the 4x400-meter relay, Ernest, Yanieka Malcolm,Courtenee Boulard, and Jacqui Lindsey teamed for a time of 3:45. The squad finished 0.14 seconds behind Texas A&M in their section for sixth-place overall. Ernest also registered the conference’s second-best time in the 200-meter clocking a time of 25.14.

The Bears will be back on the track Friday-Saturday, Feb. 1-2, in Bloomington, Ind., for the Indiana Relays.