KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Friends (Kan.) junior Tiyna Ridge of Edmond, Oklahoma, has been named the NAIA Women’s Track Athlete of the Week after delivering a season-opening performance that immediately set the national standard in the sprint events.

Ridge competed Saturday, January 10, 2026, at the Friends University First Chance Qualifier hosted at Wichita State University, lining up in the women’s 60-meter dash against a field of 40 athletes where she surged to a time of 7.48 seconds, an NAIA “A” standard that not only confirmed her early-season form, but also placed her at the top of the performance lists. As of this week, Ridge’s 7.48 stands as the fastest time in both the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference and the NAIA.

The result continues a stretch of record-breaking sprinting for Ridge, who had already rewritten the Friends University and KCAC record books in the 60 meters back in December.

Friends will next compete on January 16 at the Washburn Rust Buster. 

For more on this year's NAIA Track and Field Athletes of the week, CLICK HERE.