DePaul University Athletics
DePaul Lands Three BIG EAST Weekly Honors
3/24/2026 1:00:00 PM | TRACK AND FIELD
Alex Bernstein, Claire Dunn, Jaiah Hopf secure Athlete of the Week nods
CHICAGO – DePaul track and field's Alex Bernstein, Claire Dunn and Jaiah Hopf earned BIG EAST weekly honors Tuesday afternoon, the conference announced. The trio was recognized following performances during the opening weekend of the outdoor slate at the Black & Gold Invitational in Orlando, Fla., with Bernstein and Hopf each collecting the sixth weekly award of their careers.
Men's Field Athlete of the Week – Alex Bernstein
Bernstein earned BIG EAST Men's Field Athlete of the Week honors following his outdoor season debut, recording a personal-best mark of 68.00m to win the hammer throw. The mark ranks No. 5 in NCAA Division I this season and leads the BIG EAST, marking one of the strongest season debuts in program history. The graduate student looks to build on last year's 18th-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Women's Track Athlete of the Week – Claire Dunn
Dunn was named BIG EAST Women's Track Athlete of the Week after a strong showing in multiple sprint events at UCF. The junior posted a conference-leading time of 23.96 in the 200m while also clocking 54.02 in the 400m, the top mark in the BIG EAST this season. Her 400m time ranks No. 23 nationally, highlighting her early-season form in both sprint distances. Dunn's performance continued her success from the indoor season, where she earned All-BIG EAST honors in the 200m and as part of DePaul's record-setting 4x400m relay that captured a conference title.
Women's Field Athlete of the Week – Jaiah Hopf
Hopf earned BIG EAST Women's Field Athlete of the Week honors following a strong showing in the horizontal jumps. The senior recorded a mark of 12.45m in the triple jump, the top distance in the BIG EAST this season and No. 21 nationally. She also added a 5.94m effort in the long jump, which ranks second in the conference and sits No. 38 in NCAA Division I. The accolade follows a strong indoor championship performance, where Hopf claimed the BIG EAST triple jump title and was named the conference's Most Outstanding Performer in Field Events after also earning silver in the long jump.
UP NEXT
DePaul returns to action March 27–28 at the Joyce Morton-Keif Invitational in Normal, Ill.
FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONS
For all of the latest on DePaul Cross Country, Track & Field, stay tuned to DePaulBlueDemons.com and follow the team on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
Men's Field Athlete of the Week – Alex Bernstein
Bernstein earned BIG EAST Men's Field Athlete of the Week honors following his outdoor season debut, recording a personal-best mark of 68.00m to win the hammer throw. The mark ranks No. 5 in NCAA Division I this season and leads the BIG EAST, marking one of the strongest season debuts in program history. The graduate student looks to build on last year's 18th-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Women's Track Athlete of the Week – Claire Dunn
Dunn was named BIG EAST Women's Track Athlete of the Week after a strong showing in multiple sprint events at UCF. The junior posted a conference-leading time of 23.96 in the 200m while also clocking 54.02 in the 400m, the top mark in the BIG EAST this season. Her 400m time ranks No. 23 nationally, highlighting her early-season form in both sprint distances. Dunn's performance continued her success from the indoor season, where she earned All-BIG EAST honors in the 200m and as part of DePaul's record-setting 4x400m relay that captured a conference title.
Women's Field Athlete of the Week – Jaiah Hopf
Hopf earned BIG EAST Women's Field Athlete of the Week honors following a strong showing in the horizontal jumps. The senior recorded a mark of 12.45m in the triple jump, the top distance in the BIG EAST this season and No. 21 nationally. She also added a 5.94m effort in the long jump, which ranks second in the conference and sits No. 38 in NCAA Division I. The accolade follows a strong indoor championship performance, where Hopf claimed the BIG EAST triple jump title and was named the conference's Most Outstanding Performer in Field Events after also earning silver in the long jump.
UP NEXT
DePaul returns to action March 27–28 at the Joyce Morton-Keif Invitational in Normal, Ill.
FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONS
For all of the latest on DePaul Cross Country, Track & Field, stay tuned to DePaulBlueDemons.com and follow the team on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
Players Mentioned
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Episode 18: Darius Brown, Men's Track
Friday, April 04
Episode 13.2: Missy Fraser & Karen Loicano, 2024 Hall of Famers
Wednesday, January 22
Episode 2: Noelle Malkamaki & Brandon Murer
Tuesday, August 27




