2017 PacWest Conference Track & Field Awards

IRVINE, Calif. – Currently on the road to the program's fifth consecutive appearance at the NCAA Division II Outdoor National Championship, Academy of Art University had three Urban Knights recognized in Thursday's announcement of the 2017 Pacific West Conference Track & Field awards. PacWest Championship Most Outstanding Athletes of the Meet Mobolade Ajomale and Hannah Hensley were selected as PacWest Men's Track Athlete of the Year and PacWest Female Field Athlete of the Year respectively while Folke Woch earned PacWest Field Freshman of the Year.

This season, the PacWest coaches or designated representatives from each school selected a total of eight student-athletes and two coaches for PacWest postseason accolades. The squad consisted of gender-specific Track Athletes of the Year, Field Athletes of the Year, Track & Field Freshmen of the Year, and Coaches of the Year.

Entering this season with an Olympic bronze medal from his efforts with the Canadian 4x100m relay team this past summer, Ajomale has reestablished himself among the top sprinters in the country with a No. 1 NCAA DII ranking in the 200m (20.67) and third overall in the 100m (10.29). The PacWest Most Outstanding Track Athlete of the Meet, the Communications & Media Technologies major had a busy PacWest Conference Championship meet that saw him defend both of his 2016 individual titles in the 100m and 200m in addition to contributing legs of both the 4x100m and 4x400m championship relays. He was also twice the PacWest Track Athlete of the Week (Mar. 22, Apr. 19) prior to the conference meet.

"This is a well-deserved honor for Bolade," said head coach Kevin LaSure. "He has been really consistent throughout the season in all of his events. He has continued to progress in his individual events throughout the season and helped both of our relays to a No. 1 ranking in the conference and hopefully a spot in the NCAA Championship meet in a few weeks."

Just three meets into the outdoor season, Ajomale had already dropped his first automatic qualifier toward Nationals. At the Hornet Invitational on Mar. 18, he went 10.29 in the 100m and is now third in the country. As he captured the PacWest's 200m title, he also posted Division II's lone auto qualifying mark thus far in 2017, going 20.67. Helping ART U achieve a season-best in the 4x100m relay at the Oxy Invitational on May 6, Ajomale and his teammates moved up to 12th in the country at 40.82 and the Knights' 4x400m relay team remains seventh in DII after their 3:10.87 at the PacWest Championship.

Hensley took home a pair of individual titles at the PacWest Championship and with those Most Outstanding Field Athlete of the Meet as well. The Interior Architecture & Design major won the conference long jump and high jump in addition to scoring points for Academy of Art in the javelin. Prior to the conference meet, she earned a No. 1 ranking in the high jump in addition to sitting at No. 10 in the heptathlon and No. 31 in the long jump. Along the way, she was also twice PacWest Field Athlete of the Week (Apr. 5, Apr. 19).

"Hannah has had an amazing outdoor season and has really led us in the field events this year," said LaSure. "Even with all of the amazing things she has accomplished this season, we still believe she is just scratching the surface of what she is truly capable of doing in the jumps and multi events."

At the California Invitational to open the Mt. SAC Relays, Hensley set the program record with a 5-10 high jump that has her now tied with three others for No. 1 in the country. She would go on to post her highest heptathlon mark (5049) at the CA Invite and the 19-3.5 (5.88m) mark that won her the PacWest long jump put her now tied for 31st in DII.

A new face for the Urban Knights this season, Woch made an immediate impact not only advancing into the nation's top 25 in the heptathlon, but also walking away from the PacWest Conference meet as the event's champion. In addition to those highlights, the Acting major also became the program record-holder in the javelin and would be named PacWest Field Athlete of the Week once during the regular season.

"Folke has done a great job this outdoor season," said LaSure. "It's never easy to come into a program mid-year, jump right in, and have success. With all of the things she's had to adapt to in regard to training, school, etc., it is remarkable that she was able to win a conference championship in the heptathlon as a freshman.

Woch wasted little time getting into the Academy of Art record books this year, throwing a program-best 130-6 (39.79) in the javelin as part of a season-best 4878 points in the heptathlon at the Hornet Invitational on Feb. 18. Currently 21st in the country in the event, she would go on to offer a dominant performance at the PacWest Championships, earning the heptathlon title by 348 points after winning the 100m hurdles, shot put, and 800m.

This is the second PacWest Track & Field award in Ajomale's career and the first for both Hensley and Woch.