WAC Cross Country Athletes of the Week Announced
DENVER – Grand Canyon's Daniel Flores and Utah Valley's Hannah Branch have been named the Western Athletic Conference men's and women's Cross Country Athletes of the Week, respectively, for Sept. 24 - 30.
Flores, a senior from Glendale, Ariz., led the Lopes for the second straight meet, finishing 18th at the Capital XC Challenge in Sacramento, Calif. He covered the 8k course in 24:46.5 to earn the top-20 finish and finish 18th among 267 runners. As a team, the Lopes took seventh among 25 schools competing.
Branch, a sophomore from Draper, Utah, set a new WAC season-best in the 5k at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational while leading the Wolverines to a gold division team title. She placed seventh amongst 140 runners, covering the course in 17:37.08. As a team, UVU was first among 18 schools, including South Carolina, Saint Louis and Indiana State.
Other Men's Nominees: California Baptist's Simon Bedard again led the Lancers, taking 34th in the 8k at the Roy Griak Invitational in Minneapolis … NM State's Abel Ketema was the top finisher for the Aggies, taking 38th at the Capital XC Challenge in Sacramento … Utah Valley's Kevin Lynch took 27th at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational, running the 8k course in 24:31.19.
Other Women's Nominees: California Baptist's Anett Somogyi led the Lancers and took fifth place at the Roy Griak Invitational with a 6k time of 21:35.9 … Grand Canyon's Paige Hildebrandt was fourth at the Capital XC Challenge with a 6k time of 21:34.0 to lead the Lopes to a third-place team finish … NM State's Jess Dominguez placed third in the 6k at the Capital XC Challenge with a personal best of 21:33.8.