Palmer Receives MWC Athlete of the Week Award

COLORADO SPRINGS -- Sophomore Katie Palmer earned her third Mountain West Conference Athlete of the Week honor on Tuesday for her performance at the Sun Angel Classic in Tempe, Ariz.

The Boulder City, Nev., native took first in the 1,500-meter premiere event on Saturday with a nation-best time of 4:16.44.

“It’s not often an athlete has the best time in the nation,” said BYU distance coach Patrick Shane. “Katie is an incredible competitor and is very deserving of this honor.”

Palmer’s weekend performance is the seventh fastest in school history and third fastest in Mountain West Conference history.

“It was one of those races that reminded me of why I love this sport,” Palmer said. “I felt my coach had perfectly prepared me. Everything seemed to come together at the end.”

Palmer, who earned All-America honors in the 800-meter and Distance Medley Relay events during the indoor season, has been named the MWC Athlete of the Week three times in 2009.

“I’m very appreciative and excited about the honor,” Palmer said. “I’m grateful for my support group and wouldn’t be able to do it without them.”

Palmer will next compete on Friday at 7:20 p.m. PT at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif. She will be in the invitational 1,500-meter event, competing against some of the best 1,500-meter runners in the world.