DENVER – Utah Valley’s Trac Norris and Idaho’s Hannah Kiser have been named the Western Athletic Conference men’s and women’s Cross Country Athletes of the Week, respectively, for Sept. 9-15.
Norris, a sophomore from Panguitch, Utah (Panguitch HS), earned a third-place finish on his home course during the UVU Invitational. Norris’ time of 18:26.29 in the 5k race claimed his second top-four finish of the season and was the best finish of career. Prior to this season, he had not run since 2009 due to a redshirt and an LDS mission.
Kiser, a senior from Wenatchee, Wash., (Wenatchee HS), raced for the first time on the season and finished sixth out of 86 runners at the Sundodger Invitational at Seattle, Wash. Her time of 20:50.0 in the women’s 6k run is second only to her time at the Sundodger last year, where she set an Idaho course record with a finish of 20:45.21. Kiser helped aid the Vandals in their third place overall-finish in the meet with a score of 87, trailing only Washington (No. 5 in the nation) and Oregon State (No. 7 in the West Region).
Other Men’s Nominees: Cody Helbling, Idaho … Nathan McLaughlin, Seattle U.
Other Women’s Nominees: Oslyn Melissa Collins, Chicago State … Hannah Mittelstaedt, Seattle U … Brooke Hodson-Davies, Utah Valley University.