PacWest Athletes of the Week (Mar. 27) – Women | Men

IRVINE, Calif. – The sprint duo of Academy of Art track & field's Ajani Ince and Lauryn James each delivered multiple outdoor personal records while moving to the top two in NCAA Division II in the 200m dash en route to both being named PacWest Track Athletes of the Week on Tuesday. The awards are for meets from March 18-24.

Ince, who crossed the finish line first on three occasions across two meets, began by delivering a 20.77 in the 200m dash at the Mangrum Invitational on Mar. 22 to put himself second in the country as well as second in program history behind only ART U Hall of Famer Mobolade Ajomale. The Architecture major would also add a top result in the 100m dash at 10.53, but he would then better that shortly thereafter with a new personal record 10.38 on Mar. 23 at the PLNU Track & Field Invitational. Ince's first-place effort in that 100m had him take over the fifth spot in NCAA DII as now a two-time Outdoor Nationals provisional qualifier.

James highlighted the Mangrum Invitational on Mar. 22 by running the second-fastest 200m the nation has seen this season at 23.52 to not only add her second Outdoor Nationals provisional qualification in the event this year, but again post the third-fastest mark in ART U history. The following day's PLNU Track & Field Invitational (Mar. 23) saw the Animation & Visual Effects major drop a 55.71 in her first outdoor 400m of 2024, starting her at 13th in the country as an Outdoor Nationals provisional qualifier. In addition to her individual success, James twice ran second leg of ART U's 4x100m relay which delivered two Outdoor Nationals provisional qualifications and two first-place finishes over the weekend.

This is the second PacWest weekly honor for James this season after she earned recognition previously on Mar. 19 and, while this is the first of Ince this year, it is the second in his career.