DALLAS – Following the 2024 Conference USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in El Paso, Texas on May 10-12, UTEP swept the Performer of the Meet awards, voted on by the league’s head coaches.
Earning both the men’s and women’s runner-up titles, the Miners garnered all CUSA Performer of the Meet honors. This marks the first time in CUSA history that one program captured them all. Xavier Butler and Jakub Belik were named the Male Performers of the Meet. Butler was the highest scoring male freshman of the meet in his outdoor championship debut and Belik collected a pair of jumping titles. Niesha Burgher earned Track Performer of the Meet for the second time this season and fourth in her career. After throwing a CUSA meet-record 56.53m in the javelin, Arianne Morais claimed the Female Field Performer of the Meet award.
Female Track Performer of the Meet – Niesha Burgher, UTEP, Sr., Saint Thomas, Jamaica
Burgher was tabbed the High Point Scorer of the Meet, amassing 25 points. The senior took gold in the 100-meter dash with a meet record, personal record and school record time of 11.06. She boasted gold in the 200-meter dash with a meet record, personal best and school record of 22.44. Additionally, Burgher ran the second leg of the 4x1, clocking in a 44.68 to win gold, and anchored the 4x4 with a 3:35.68 to add another gold to her collection. The Miner ranks first in the 200 in the West Region, and nationally sits eighth in the 100 and 200.
Male Track Performer of the Meet – Xavier Butler, UTEP, Fr., Freeport, Texas
Being named the CUSA Men’s Freshman of the Meet, Butler took gold in the 200-meter dash, clocking in a 20.57 (3.1). After recording a time of 10.09 (3.6) in the prelims, the newcomer clocked a 10.10 (5.1) in the 100-meter dash final and finished fourth to tally five points for the Miners. Butler ranks seventh in the West Region in the 100 and 16th in the 200. The Freeport, Texas, native also ranks t-25th in the 100 and t-40th in the 200 in the overall national rankings.
Female Field Performer of the Meet – Arianne Morais, UTEP, Sr., Oslo, Norway
Morais hurled a CUSA meet-record 56.53 meters (185-5) to claim her second consecutive gold medal at the conference championships in the javelin. She ranks fourth nationally with her best mark of 57.26m. Overall, the senior scored 10 points for the Miners who finished in second place overall.
Male Field Performer of the Meet – Jakub Belik, UTEP, Jr., Jaromer, Czech Republic
Belik won back-to-back outdoor CUSA high jump titles after leaping 2.15 meters. The Miner added another gold medal in the triple jump with a mark of 14.87m. It was his first time competing in the triple jump since high school. Overall, the junior scored 20 points for the Miners. He ranks 13th in the high jump in the West Region and 25th overall nationally with a personal-best 2.17m. Belik has won gold medals in four consecutive CUSA Championship meets.