Valerie Obear Tabbed MIAA Field Athlete of the Week

The Trine University women’s track and field team had two student-athletes named Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Athlete of the Week heading into the conference championship event.

Senior Valerie Obear (Fishers, Ind. / Hamilton Southeastern) has been tabbed MIAA Field Athlete of the Week and classmate Evie Miller [Fort Wayne, Ind. / Homestead] has been tabbed MIAA Track Athlete of the week.

Obear also broke the previous best mark in school history in the weight throw at Notre Dame to collect her fourth Athlete of the Week award of the season. Her best throw marked 19.00 meters (62′ 4.00″), and is the best score in NCAA DIII. Kara Eck held the previous record from a throw in the event at 18.45 meters (60′ 6.25″), set in the 2017-18 season.

Miller, who has won the award on two other occasions in the 2021-22 indoor season, broke her own school record in the mile run with a time of 4:45.13 at the University of Notre Dame’s Alex Wilson Invitational. Miller posted the sixth-fastest time in NCAA DIII while breaking her own school record in the event.

The pair will be top contenders at the MIAA Indoor Championships on Saturday, February 26 at home in the Keith E. Busse/Steel Dynamics Athletic and Recreation Center (ARC). Obear is looking for her third consecutive title in the weight throw while Miller has tallied eight wins in her illustrious career at the event.