MVC Release

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Missouri State sophomore Marissa Kurtimah was selected Missouri Valley Conference Women's Track Athlete of the Week, the league office announced on Tuesday (April 26). Kurtimah receives this honor for the first time in her outdoor career.

The Bears hosted its first track meet at Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium Friday (April 22) and first collegiate meet on campus since 2008. Kurtimah had a breakthrough performance at the Missouri State Invitational, clocking in a season-best time of 11.46 seconds in the 100-meter dash. With this time, she darted to a first place finish in the event and to the top of the MVC leaderboard.

In her second event of the day, Kurtimah crossed the finish line in 23.115 seconds in the 200-meter dash right behind teammate Shavonne Husbands who clocked in a time of 23.112 seconds. Kurtimah's time in the 200-meter dash is currently tied for 12th in the NCAA West Region and tied for 21st overall with her teammate.

Ultimately, Kurtimah and Husbands etched their name into the MSU school record book with a time of 23.12 seconds in the event to break a 20-year-old school record time of 23.34 seconds.

The sprinters and throwers on the Missouri State track and field team will travel south to the one-day Jace LaCoste Invitational on the campus of Mississippi State this Saturday while a small group of distance runners will attend Missouri Southern on Friday.

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