Baker, Cutright Named Midwest Conference Performers of Week

Seniors take honors after Fighting Scot Invite

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill (04/14/2021) — The Monmouth College track and field team won both the men's and women's award for Track Performer of the Week for the Midwest Conference for the Week of April 5-11. Kenzie Baker (Aledo, Illinois) won the Women's Track Performer of the Week and Alex Cutright (Glenwood Springs, Colorado) was named the Men's Track Performer of the Week.

Baker, a senior, won both the 100m and 200m sprints at Sunday's Fighting Scot Invitational at April Zorn Stadium. In the 100m she ran a personal best 12.25 to outpace competitors from Beloit College, Illinois College and Knox. The 12.25 seconds is the fastest time in the 100 so far this season in the Midwest Conference and the 17th fastest time in all of Division III.

In the 200 Baker won the race at 25.81 seconds, also a career high. She beat teammate Jordan Peckham (Farmington, Illinois) by 0.15 seconds. The 25.81 is the fastest time in the MWC in 2021 and the 40th fastest time in Division III. Peckham's mark is the second best time in the conference this season and 49th overall.

Cutright also won both of his track events on Sunday with season-best times. He won the 110m hurdles in a time of 15.85, the second fastest time in the conference this year and the 30th in Division III. He also won the 110m hurdles at the Beloit Invitational on April 3.

The senior beat teammate Austin Pfau (Leland, Illinois) in the 400m hurdles with a time of 57.79. Cutright has the best 400m hurdles time in the MWC this season and Pfau is second. Cutright also finished tied for second in the high jump with a leap of 1.88m.

Cutright and Pfau teamed with Zach Vancil (Little York, Illinois) and Alexander Brock (Lexington, Illinois) to win the 4x400m relay in a time of 3:29:49.

This marks the second straight week a Monmouth student-athlete has been honored in Track & Field by the MWC as Drew Thaxton (Decatur, Illinois) won the Field Performer of the Week last week. Both the men's and women's teams will compete at the Augustana Meet of Champions on Saturday in Rock Island, Illinois. The meet begins at 11 a.m.

MacKenzie

Baker