DENVER ? Fresno State’s Erick Garcia and Hawai?i’s Chantelle Wilder have been named the Western Athletic Conference men and women’s Cross Country Athletes of the Week, respectively, for the week of Oct. 1 ? 7.
Garcia, a freshman from Parlier, Calif. (Parlier High School), was just a hair shy of winning a title on Oct. 6 at the Triton Classic in San Diego. Garcia placed second overall with a time of 32:43.3, finishing only two-tenths of a second behind UCLA’s Henry Hagenbuch at the 10K race. Garcia helped Fresno State to a third place team finish at the event. The freshman has been Fresno State’s top runner in each of its four meets this season, finishing second during two meets as well as taking the Pepperdine Invitational 8K title.
Wilder, a senior from London, Ontario, Canada (John Paul II Catholic Secondary), captured her eighth career title this past week at the 5K Hawai?i Pacific Invitational. Wilder clocked a time of 18:51, nearly 30 seconds faster than her nearest competitor. Wilder has won four local Hawai?i meets this season, including the BYU-Hawai?i Invitational, Chaminade Invitational, and Big Wave Invitational. In addition, Wilder has finished in the top-five in all five meets that Hawai?i has competed in this season.
Other Men’s Nominees: New Mexico State freshman Michael Hart finished 32nd at the University of Arizona Invitational, helping the Aggies to a seventh place finish ... Hart paced NMSU with a time of 26:56 at the 8K race.?
Other Women’s Nominees: Fresno State junior Roxanne Sellick paced Fresno State with a fifth place finish at the 6K Triton Classic with a time of 22:38, helping the Bulldogs to a third place finish ... New Mexico State freshman Brandi Gutierrez placed ninth at the University of Arizona Invitational, leading the Aggies to a third place team finish.