Jacob Netral Named NAIA and USTFCCCA National Field Athlete of the Week

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - After a dominating showcase at the Wabash College Robert H. Johnson Open, Marian track and field's Jacob Netral has been named as the NAIA National Field Athlete of the Week. Netral's honor is the first of his career, and comes one day after being named the USTFCCCA National NAIA Athlete of the Week.

Jacob Netral seemed right at home in the shot put at Wabash College's Robert H. Johnson Open, while also competing strong in the weight throw. Any of Netral's six efforts would have given him victory in the competition, but his top heave of 18.11m (59-5) improved his lifetime best by more than three feet, and he even surpassed his outdoor best of 17.74m (58-2½). He is now No. 9 on the all-time NAIA indoor chart. 

Netral's shot put effort moved him to No. 1 in the NAIA this season, as the senior now leads the nation by 1.11m. Netral was fourth in the NAIA Indoor Championships last year and was also fourth in the NAIA Outdoor Championships in the spring.

This is the first time that a male athlete from Marian has been named the USTFCCCA M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the indoor season, and the first honor of the 2023-24 season from the NAIA.

To view more from the NAIA, click here. To view more from the USTFCCCA, click here.