USTFCCCA Awards
By USTFCCCA Communications, USTFCCCA September 26, 2022   

M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week (Sept. 26)

NEW ORLEANS – That’s more like it!

Here are the M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week, as released on Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). A big weekend of racing made for some tough choices, but here are those athletes who stood out the most.

  • NCAA Division I Men – Alex Maier, Oklahoma State
  • NCAA Division I Women – Natalie Cook, Oklahoma State
  • NCAA Division II Men – Nixon Korir, Azusa Pacific
  • NCAA Division II Women – Lindsay Cunningham, Winona State
  • NCAA Division III Men – Ethan Gregg, UW-La Crosse
  • NCAA Division III Women – Fiona Smith, Saint Benedict
  • NAIA Men – Eric Steiger, Dordt (Iowa)
  • NAIA Women – Ellen Mary Kearney, Milligan (Tenn.)
  • NJCAA Division I Men – German Vega, New Mexico JC
  • NCAA Division I Women – Damaris Chewon, New Mexico JC
  • NJCAA Division II Men – Kyler Dean, Muskegon (Mich.) CC
  • NJCAA Division II Women – Amy Rowan, Oakland (Mich.) CC
  • NJCAA Division III Men – Avion Harris, Herkimer County (N.Y.) CC
  • NJCAA Division III Women – Lilly Alberts, Harper (Ill.) JC

Scroll below for more information about each of these honorees.

NCAA DIVISION I MEN – Alex Maier, Oklahoma State

Senior | Flower Mound, Texas

Home course advantage played right into Alex Maier’s hands this past weekend.

Maier captured the individual title in the Men’s Featured 8k at the Cowboy Jamboree, crossing the finish line first in 23:16.9. The Oklahoma State senior pulled away in the final 1k on the tough Greiner Family OSU Cross Country Course to beat 13 men who were All-Americans from the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships. Runner-up honors went to Charles Hicks of Stanford in 23:20.0 (Hicks finished fourth last year in Tallahassee, Florida).

Many thought Maier would be due for a big season on the grass circuit after what he did during the outdoor campaign. Maier finished a close runner-up in the 10,000 meters at the NCAA DI Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, with a PR of 28:12.68. During the indoor season, Maier PR’d in the mile (3:56.44), the 3000 meters (7:46.61) and the 5000 meters (13:25.79).

This is the third year in a row that a male athlete from Oklahoma State has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Isai Rodriguez earned national honors in both 2020 and 2021 following standout performances.

NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Natalie Cook, Oklahoma State

Freshman | Flower Mound, Texas

It’s not often that a true freshman puts the nation on notice in their first meet.

Well, not every true freshman is Natalie Cook.

Cook, who came to Oklahoma State with otherworldly credentials from her prep career at Flower Mound High School in Texas, won the individual title in the Women’s Feature 8k at the Cowboy Jamboree this past weekend. The native Texan stopped the clock in 20:17.1 for the sixth fastest time in course history. She also led a 1-2 sweep for the third-ranked Cowgirls (Taylor Roe finished second) as they seized the team title over a host of top-ranked teams.

This is the first time in program history that a female athlete from Oklahoma State has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.

NCAA DIVISION II MEN – Nixon Korir, Azusa Pacific

Junior | Eldoret, Kenya

Nixon Korir is having a standout season.

It was at the Cougar Challenge in San Marcos, California that Korir won the individual title as he traversed the 8k course in 24:16.6 for a new personal best. Korir finished more than three seconds ahead of runner-up Jack Emanuel of Chico State, who finished 24th at the NCAA DII Cross Country Championships last year.

It was the second victory for Korir this year. He opened the season with a win at the Mark Covert Classic in 25:03.7.

This is the first time in program history an athlete from Azusa Pacific has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.

NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Lindsay Cunningham, Winona State

Junior | Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

Lindsay Cunningham won her first Roy Griak Women’s Maroon 6k title one year ago.

She wouldn’t be denied a second.

Cunningham broke the tape in 21:05.6 to capture her second-straight Roy Griak crown this past weekend at the Les Bolstad Golf Course in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She also made some history in the process, setting an all-time race best for time with her winning mark.

This is the second time that Cunningham has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. She previously earned the honor last year on September 27 following her first Roy Griak title.

NCAA DIVISION III MEN – Ethan Gregg, UW-La Crosse

Junior | La Crosse, Wisconsin

Ethan Gregg used a savvy race strategy to cover the tough course at the Roy Griak Invitational and pick up National Athlete of the Week honors.

Through the first 3k, Gregg hung out in the pack of the Jo Rider Men’s Maroon Race until making his presence known at the 5k split. From there, he worked with teammate Isaac Wegner to run away from the dense NCAA DII field.

Gregg became the first NCAA DIII athlete to win the Maroon race outright since Tyler Sigl of UW-Platteville in 2007 and just the third ever (Sigl did it three years in a row from 2005 to 2007 and Josh Moel of Wartburg accomplished the feat one year before that).

This is just the third time in program history that a male athlete from UW-La Crosse has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Gregg joins Tyler Nault in 2019 and David Stillin in 2013 as Eagles to receive national honors.

• As selected by D3 Glory Days, a D3 running website & podcast telling the untold stories that have shaped the division.

NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Fiona Smith, Saint Benedict

Sophomore | Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

Fiona Smith continues to have a strong start to her 2022 campaign.

This time she adds a little history to her resume.

When you head to the Roy Griak Invitational, you throw time expectations out the window and compete, especially on a course like that. On paper, a runner-up performance in a field stacked with NCAA DII athletes is impressive – but 21:18 is next to her name is even more so. What takes it up a notch is Smith running the second fastest time ever in the Suzy Wilson Maroon Race and the fastest NCAA DIII athlete to run the 6k tract.

Adding history to Smith’s already growing resume will provide momentum as the calendar flips to October. While the Les Bolstad Golf Course isn’t expected to be a fast circuit – not by a long shot – coming away with a historic time should bode well for the rest of Smith’s 2022 season.

Smith is the first athlete in program history to be named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.

• As selected by D3 Glory Days, a D3 running website & podcast telling the untold stories that have shaped the division.

NAIA MEN – Eric Steiger, Dordt (Iowa)

Senior | Lynden, Washington

Eric Steiger wasn’t going to be denied this past weekend.

Steiger, competing in the Jo Rider Maroon Race at the Roy Griak Invitational, was the top-finishing NAIA athlete, outkicking fellow NAIA foe Eli Fullerton of Indiana Wesleyan. Just a 0.5-second margin separated the two, as Steiger crossed first in 25:38.3 compared to 25:38.8.

That was part of a stout top-5 matchup between NAIA programs: No. 1 Indiana Wesleyan and No. 5 Dordt (Iowa). When the dust settled, Steiger’s low stick helped the Defenders finish right behind the Wildcats in the team standings (IWU was fourth; Dordt (Iowa) was fifth).

NAIA WOMEN – Ellen-Mary Kearney, Milligan (Tenn.)

Freshman | Wirral, U.K.

Ellen-Mary Kearney had quite the debut.

Kearney captured top NAIA individual honors at the Queen City Invitational this past weekend to lead Milligan (Tenn.) to the team title. She finished runner-up behind Letizia Martinelli of Queens (N.C.) at the meet and was 21 seconds clear of teammate Alyssa Bearzi, who won the individual title at the 2021 NAIA Cross Country Championships.

If the last name Kearney sounds familiar, it should: Ellen-Mary Kearney is the younger sister of former NAIA standout Emily Kearney, who was a multiple-time NAIA champion on the track.

NJCAA DIVISION I MEN – German Vega, New Mexico JC

Freshman | Buenos Aires, Argentina

German Vega won for the second time in two races, increasing his margin from 19 to 31 seconds in earning his most recent victory at the New Mexico JC Invitational in 24:12.0 for 8K.

Runner-up for the second-straight time was a familiar figure in teammate – and twin brother – Tomas Vega as the T-Birds scored 17 points after posting a perfect-15 in winning the late-August Western Texas Open.

Vega is the second male athlete from New Mexico JC to be named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country.

NJCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Demaris Chewon, New Mexico JC

Freshman | Kapsabet, Kenya

Demaris Chewon is two-for-two after a decisive victory in the New Mexico JC, covering her 5K home course in 18:32.3 in winning the New Mexico JC Invitational as the T-Birds held off NCAA DII Lubbock Christian by 11 points, 23-34.

Chewon covered the 5K course in 18:32.3 as she left little in doubt, winning by 40 seconds. That’s the closest anyone has come this fall to Chewon, who was NJCAA Indoor runner up in the 5000 last year on the track. In early-August she claimed the Western Texas Open by 1:44 as the No. 4 T-Birds scored a perfect-15.

Chewon is the third female athlete from New Mexico JC to earn M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week honors in cross country.

NJCAA DIVISION II MEN – Kyler Dean, Muskegon (Mich.) CC

Freshman | Vicksburg, Michigan

Kyler Dean proved to be in a class of his own in his first JUCO-only cross country race.

Dean won the Kirtland Firebird Invitational by 29 seconds, covering the 8K course in 26:29.91 in a contest that attracted all of Michigan’s best NJCAA programs. Earlier this month, Dean was the leading JUCO runner in the Northwood Invitational and Grand Rapids CC Invitational..

Dean is the first male or female from Muskegon CC to be named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country.

NJCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Amy Rowan, Oakland (Mich.) CC

Freshman | Sterling Heights, Michigan

Amy Rowan made a big statement in the Kirtland Firebird Invitational, which was loaded with seven programs from Michigan ranked in the NJCAA Division II national poll.

Rowan won the 5K’s individual race by 27 seconds in 20:19.22. It was her second victory of the year after kicking off by taking the Skippers Invitational in early September.

Rowan is the first female or male athlete from Oakland CC to be honored as M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country.

NJCAA DIVISION III MEN – Avion Harris, Herkimer County (N.Y.) CC

Sophomore | Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Avion Harris proved longer distances are also in his repertoire.

The NJCAA Division III outdoor champ in the 1500 meters last spring, Harris finished second as the leading JUCO entrant in the SUNY Poly Wildcat Invitational, covering 8K in 28:36.6.

Harris is the first male athlete from Herkimer County to be honored as National Athlete of the Week in cross country.

NJCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Lilly Alberts, Harper (Ill.) JC

Freshman | Richmond, Illinois

Lilly Alberts came to race at UW-Platteville’s Pioneer Gender Equity Invitational.

The event features men and women crossing the finish line together, and Alberts was the highest-finishing JUCO runner of any gender, crossing the line in fourth place among women in 23:52.1 for 6K.

Alberts is the fourth woman from Harper – and first since 2018 – to be named National Athlete of the Week in cross country.