TicketSmarter WAC Cross Country Athletes of the Week Announced
DENVER – Tarleton's Kevin Baez and Dixie State's Grace McLaughlin have been named the TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Men's and Women's Cross Country Athletes of the Week, respectively, for October 5 through 11.
Baez, a junior from Vanderbilt, Texas, turned in the first individual victory of his career last week as he earned the top spot at the Ranger College Cross Country Invitational. Baez's time of 25 minutes, 49 seconds on the 8K course marked the seventh top-10 finish of his career. He has also finished sixth or better in each of Tarleton's three meets this fall.
McLaughlin, a sophomore from Rockford, Ill., posted a personal best at the Southern Utah Color Country Invitational to come away with a first-place finish last week. She completed the 4K course in 14:58.3 to help the Trailblazers to a second-place team finish. McLaughlin also outpaced runners from Southern Utah and a regionally-ranked Utah Valley squad.
Other Men's Nominees: Dixie State's Kevin Kirk won the men's 6K race at the SUU Color Country Invitational, finishing with a time of 19:06.8… Utah Valley's Max Burton led the way for the Wolverines last week, placing 13th at the SUU Color Country Invitational with a 6K time of 19:57.4.
Other Women's Nominees: Tarleton's Brooke Wendel posted a 5K time of 20:04.9 to claim her first individual victory, besting all runners at the Ranger College Cross Country Invitational… Utah Valley's Elizabeth Zwahlen notched a third-place finish at the SUU Color Country Invitational, traversing the 4K course in 15:16.5.