ARLINGTON, Texas – UT Arlington track and field star
Lucas Van Klaveren was recognized as the 2023-24 Western Athletic Conference Joe Kearney Award winner. Named in honor of longtime WAC commissioner Joe Kearney, the awards are given annually to the top male and female student-athletes in the WAC during the preceding academic year.
Van Klaveren capped his final season in the orange and blue by finishing 5th overall in the decathlon at the NCAA Championships with 7927 total points, garnering First Team All-American honors.
At the 2024 WAC Outdoor Championships, Van Klaveren set outdoor personal bests in the pole vault (5.03m), the long jump (7.24m) and in the 110m hurdles (14.17) all for top 10 finishes.
At the Bryan Clay Invitational, Van Klaveren placed 1st overall in the decathlon with 7785 total points. For this performance, Van Klaveren was named the WAC Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week.
Van Klaveren was a seven-time conference champion, including three straight outdoor decathlon titles from 2021-23, on the way to claiming a total of 10 career all-conference honors. Van Klaveren also added a first-team All-America scroll in the decathlon in 2022.
Van Klaveren is the first UTA winner of the Joe Kearney Award.
Joe Kearney Award Winners:
2024:
Lucas Van Klaveren, Track & Field, UT Arlington; Greta Karinauskaite, California Baptist, Track & Field
2023: Xavier Gipson, Football, Stephen F. Austin; Kristin Fifield, Softball, Grand Canyon
2022: Teddy Allen, Basketball, NM State; Annina Brandenburg, Track & Field, Abilene Christian
2021: Fardaws Aimaq, Basketball, Utah Valley; Ane Olaeta, Basketball, California Baptist
2020: Nick Gonzales, Baseball, NM State; Megan Hart, Volleyball, NM State
2019: Mark Nikolaev, Swimming and Diving, Grand Canyon; Brooke Salas, Basketball, NM State
2018: Jemerrio Jones, Basketball, NM State; Kelsey Horton, Softball, NM State
2017: Paul Hoffmeister, Soccer, Utah Valley/DeWayne Russell, Basketball, Grand Canyon; Shawnte' Goff, Basketball, UTRGV
2016: Antoine Rozner, Golf, Kansas City; Gwen Murphy, Volleyball, NM State
2015: Michael McPherson, Track & Field, Utah Valley; Courtney Frerichs, Cross Country/Track & Field, Kansas City
2014: Mitchell Huxhold, Swimming and Diving, Bakersfield; Stephanie Verdoia, Soccer, Seattle U
2013: Kyle Barone, Basketball, Idaho; Hannah Kiser, Cross Country/Track & Field, Idaho
2012: Andrew Blaser, Track and Field, Idaho/Robert Turbin, Football, Utah State; Chelsea Hayes, Track & Field, Louisiana Tech
2011: Colin Kaepernick, Football, Nevada; Emma Friesen, Swimming and Diving, Hawai'i
2010: Kellen Moore, Football, Boise State; Amber Kaufman, Volleyball/Track and Field, Hawai'i
2009: Tom Mendonca, Baseball, Fresno State; Melanie Gloria, Tennis, Fresno State
2008: Steve Susdorf, Baseball, Fresno State; Emma Friesen, Diving, Hawai'i
2007: Colt Brennan, Football, Hawai'I; Kanoe Kamana'o, Volleyball, Hawai'i
2006: Nick Fazekas, Basketball, Nevada; Kanoe Kamana'o, Volleyball, Hawai'i
2005: Gabriel Wallin, Track and Field, Boise State; Jamie Southern, Softball, Fresno State
2004: Kirk Snyder, Basketball, Nevada; Kim Willoughby, Volleyball, Hawai'i
2003: Nick Watney, Golf, Fresno State; Kim Willoughby, Volleyball/Basketball, Hawai'i
2002: David Carr, Football, Fresno State; Stacy Prammanasudh, Golf, Tulsa
2001: LaDainian Tomlinson, Football, TCU; Florence Ezeh, Track and Field, SMU
2000: Courtney Alexander, Basketball, Fresno State; Amanda Scott, Softball, Fresno State
1999: Andre Miller, Basketball, Utah; Martina Moravcova, Swimming and Diving, SMU
1998: Lars Frolander, Swimming and Diving, SMU; Amanda Scott, Softball, Fresno State
1997: Keith Van Horn, Basketball, Utah; Martina Moravcova, Swimming and Diving, SMU
1996: Keith Van Horn, Basketball, Utah; Nina Lindenberg, Softball, Fresno State
1995: Stoney Case, Football, New Mexico; Susanne Metz, Gymnastics, Utah
1994: Marshall Faulk, Football, San Diego State; Amy Van Dyken, Swimming and Diving, Colorado State
1993: Marshall Faulk, Football, San Diego State; Mikki Kane-Barton, Volleyball, Utah
1992: Carlton McDonald, Football, Air Force; Anu Kaljurand, Track and Field, Brigham Young
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