After a regular season for the record books, Cal Lutheran distance runner Melissa Skiba was honored as the U.S Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Women's West Region Track Athlete of the Year on Friday. She becomes the first Regals track & field athlete to earn the award.

A sophomore from Oak Park, Calif., Skiba is currently ranked fifth at 5000 meters in 16:47.17 and eighth at 1500 meters in 4:30.37. At the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Championships two weeks ago, she won the 5000 meters title in a time of 17:00.34, breaking a 28-year old SCIAC meet record by 25 seconds. Skiba also won the SCIAC title in the 1500 meters with a time of 4:36.23. The First Team All-SCIAC recipient was unbeatable all season, going undefeated at both 1500 and 5000 meters in SCIAC competition this season.