SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – After another impressive showing at the UC Santa Barbara Invite, first-year sprinter Mia Shepard has collected her second Big West Track Athlete of the Week award of the season. The freshman earned the honor through absolutely dominant performances in both the 200m and 400m competitions last weekend.

Shepard achieved first-place finishes in both events, as she ran for a time of 24.26 in the 200m into a headwind while accomplishing a personal best time of 53.52 in the 400m, more than a full second faster than the second-place finisher. Shepard's performance in the 400m marks the fastest time by a freshman in school history, the fourth fastest time in school history, and the best time by a Gaucho since 2015.

The Gauchos finish up the regular season at Vince O'Boyle Track Classic in Irvine, Calif. this weekend, where Shepard and the Men's and Women's Track & Field teams look to continue their prowess and perfect their craft before the postseason. The meet will take place on May 2-3.