M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week (Sept. 25)
NEW ORLEANS — That was quite the weekend!
Here are our M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week in collegiate cross country for September 25, 2023.
- NCAA Division I Men – Drew Bosley, Northern Arizona
- NCAA Division I Women – Greta Karinauskaite, California Baptist
- NCAA Division II Men – Ransom Allen, Wayne State (Mich.)
- NCAA Division II Women – Gianna Bomarito, Sonoma State
- NCAA Division III Men – John Lucey, Williams
- NCAA Division III Women – Hailey Erickson, Calvin
- NAIA Men – Emad Bashir-Mohammed, Saint Mary (Kan.)
- NAIA Women – Hannah Fredericks, The Master’s (Calif.)
- NJCAA Division I Men – Talon Rodriguez, Salt Lake (Utah) CC
- NJCAA Division I Women – Emerald Kehr, Salt Lake (Utah) CC
- NJCAA Division II Men – Michael Dennis, Lansing (Mich.) CC
- NJCAA Division II Women – Julianne Dodson, Walters State (Tenn.) CC
- NJCAA Division III Men – Albert Szewczyk, Harper (Ill.)
- NJCAA Division III Women – Lilly Alberts, Harper (Ill.)
Find out more about each of these athletes by scrolling below.
National Athlete of the Week is an award selected and presented by the USTFCCCA Communications Staff at the beginning of each week to 14 collegiate cross country athletes, when applicable (male and female for each of the three NCAA divisions, the NAIA and the NJCAA).
Nominations are open to the public. Coaches and sports information directors are encouraged to nominate their student-athletes; as are student-athletes, their families and friends, and fans of their programs. Nominated athletes are noticed before those athletes found through searching TFRRS.
The award seeks to highlight not only the very best times, marks and scores on a week-to-week basis, but also performances that were significant on the national landscape and/or the latest in a series of strong outings. Quality of competition, suspenseful finishes and other factors will also play a role in the decision.
NCAA DIVISION I MEN – Drew Bosley, Northern Arizona
Senior | Thiensville, Wisconsin
Drew Bosley is a force on the cross country course.
Bosley pulled away over the final 1k to win the individual title at the Virginia Invitational this past weekend in 23:20.3. He, Parker Wolfe of North Carolina and Ky Robinson of Stanford were lockstep at the 7k split before Bosley closed in 2:42.7, 2.8 seconds faster than Wolfe. That trio all finished top-10 at the NCAA Championships last year in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
With Bosley at the front, Northern Arizona settled in behind the ultimate low stick and romped to victory over a loaded field. The Lumberjacks won by 30 points over third-ranked BYU.
This is the fifth time that a male athlete from Northern Arizona has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Bosley joins Theo Quax (2022), Luis Grijalva (2021), Abdihamid Nur (2021) and Jack Shea (2018) in that regard.
NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Greta Karinauskaite, California Baptist
Senior | Siauliai, Lithuania
Greta Karinauskaite turned in an all-time effort at the Roy Griak Invitational.
Karinauskaite won the Women’s Gold 6k in 20:27.6, a time that is the fourth fastest in the history of the meet and the quickest on the course since 2004 (Kim Smith, 20:10). She pushed the pace from the onset, going through the first mile in 5:11.4 and hitting the 3k split in 9:45.6.
The one point California Baptist got from Karinauskaite was a big one: CBU edged Utah for the team title, 63-64. That was the Lancers’ second team title at the meet in the past four years.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from California Baptist has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NCAA DIVISION II MEN – Ransom Allen, Wayne State (Mich.)
Grad Student | Ithaca, Michigan
Ransom Allen has a hold of the Wayne State (Mich.) steering wheel.
On the back of a Roy Griak Invitational Maroon 8k triumph, the decorated grad student drove the Warriors to a second place finish as No. 7 Augustana (S.D.) and No. 18 UC-Colorado Springs looked on from afar. Allen’s 25:18 was good enough to beat out Ryan Hartman who closed out his season 19th at the 2022 NCAA DII Championships and Peter Shippy who wrapped up his 2022 season 18th at the NAIA Championships.
The WSU standout will be in the mix for the individual title come November after finishing ninth at NCAAs last year and sixth at the 2022 Midwest Regional Championships.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from Wayne State has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Gianna Bomarito
Sophomore | Fresno, California
Gianna Bomarito is running like there’s no tomorrow.
The Sonoma State sophomore flew to Minnesota on a mission: win the Roy Griak Invitational Maroon 6k. She accomplished that goal in style, stopping the clock at 21:44, over 35 seconds ahead of her opponents. Bomarito bested Jessica Campman of Dordt (Iowa) who finished ninth at the 2022 NAIA Championships, and Alyssa Becker of U-Mary who concluded her 2022 season 42nd at the NCAA DII Championships.
The Seawolves found a big boost in their program with the addition of Bomarito. The CCAA Freshman of the Year exploded onto the scene last fall after picking up the individual title at the Paul Short Invite while setting a new school record.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from Sonoma State has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NCAA DIVISION III MEN – John Lucey, Williams
Senior | Newburyport, Massachusetts
The Purple Valley Classic is a site for notable performances.
John Lucey was next in line as he ran to victory by 3.6 seconds in 24:37.1. Lucey led a 1-2-3 finish for Williams as the host knocked off defending national champion MIT, 23-33.
It has been quite a start to the season for Lucey. He posted his third consecutive victory in winning the Purple Valley Classic, pairing well with his triumphs at the Vassar Ron Stonitsch Invitational on September 9 as well as the Little 3 Championship Meet on September 16.
This is the sixth time in program history that a male athlete from Williams has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Lucey joins two -time honoree Elias Lindgren (2022, 2021), Aidan Ryan (2019), Bijan Mazaheri (October 5) and Colin Cotton (2014) in that regard.
NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Hailey Erickson, Calvin
Freshman | Arlington Heights, Illinois
Remember the name Hailey Erickson.
The freshman from Calvin galloped to victory at the Dickinson Long-Short Invitational this past weekend in 22:08.7, beating her closest pursuer by 11.1 seconds. The race was run on the same 6k tract that will host the NCAA Championships in November.
Calvin made quick work of the team race, too. The 34th-ranked Knights rolled to victory by 39 points over Smith and 47 points over Case Western Reserve. Fourth place in the team standings went to 28th-ranked Carnegie Mellon, all but assuring Calvin a boost in the next rankings.
This is the fourth time in program history that a female athlete from Calvin has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Erickson joins Sadie Heeringa (2022), Lauren Strohbehn (2015) and Cassie Vince (2013) in that regard.
NAIA MEN – Emad Bashir-Mohammed, Saint Mary (Kan.)
Senior
Emad Bashir-Mohammed is quickly making up for lost time.
Bashir-Mohammed, who hadn’t competed on the grass circuit since 2021 before this season, took top NAIA honors at the Cowboy Jamboree this past weekend. He crossed the finish line in 24:15.2 and was only bested by athletes from top-ranked NCAA DI programs.
If his name looks familiar, it should: Bashir-Mohammed won the 5000-meter crown at the NAIA Outdoor Championships last year and finished runner-up in the 10,000 meters.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from Saint Mary’s (Kan.) has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NAIA WOMEN – Hannah Fredericks, The Master’s (Calif.)
Junior | Santa Clarita, California
Hannah Fredericks was fast at The Master’s Invitational.
How fast? Try 20:40.4 over the 6k distance.
Fredericks ran to a near 19-second victory this past weekend on her home course. That marks consecutive victories for the junior from Santa Clarita, California (Fredericks also won top individual honors at the Biola Invitational back just two weeks ago).
This is the second time this season that Fredericks has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Fredericks joins Addy Wiley as the only two women to have earned multiple national weekly honors on the grass circuit.
NJCAA DIVISION I MEN – Talon Rodriguez, Salt Lake (Utah) CC
Sophomore | Riverton, Utah
September 23 is a good day for Talon Rodriguez in cross country.
Last year on that date he was Salt Lake (Utah) CC’s top runner at the Idaho State Invitational for the first time. On the same date this year he was again the Bruins’ leading individual – just the second time in his career – in finishing 18th at the Cal State San Marcos Cougar Challenge as the first NJCAA runner (25:14.1 for 8k).
Salt Lake, ranked No. 4 in NJCAA Division I in just its second year as a program, was third as a team at the Cougar Challenge behind a pair of four-year schools in Chico State and Cal Poly Pomona (ranked Nos. 6 and 19, respectively, in NCAA Division II).
Rodriguez is the second male athlete from Salt Lake to earn M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week honors in cross country.
NJCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Emerald Kehr, Salt Lake (Utah) CC
Freshman | Salt Lake City, Utah
Emerald Kehr led Salt Lake (Utah) CC to a stellar performance at the Cal State San Marcos Cougar Challenge.
Kehr was Salt Lake’s leading runner while finishing seventh (sixth among collegians) in 21:14.6 for 6k as the No. 1-ranked Bruins held their own while taking runner-up as a team, losing only to NCAA Division II No. 13 Chico State.
Kehr is the first female athlete from Salt Lake to earn M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week honors in cross country.
NJCAA DIVISION II MEN – Michael Dennis, Lansing (Mich.) CC
Sophomore | St. Johns, Michigan
Michael Dennis has yet to lose to another JUCO runner in three races this year.
In his most recent effort, he was the top collegian at the Lansing (Mich.) CC Invitational, earning runner-up honors in 25:20.2 for 5 miles (just a tad longer than 8k). The Stars, who finished third as a team behind NCAA Division II Hillsdale and Davenport, are ranked No. 2 in NJCAA Division II.
This is the second time this season that Dennis has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week.
NJCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Julianne Dodson, Walters State (Tenn.) CC
Sophomore | Morristown, Tennessee
Julianne Dodson won the Yeti Invitational at Cleveland (N.C.) CC, clocking 19:49.0 for 5k in fending off Makenna Pallozzi of NCAA Division II Belmont Abbey by 10.6 seconds. It was the second win of the year for Dodson, who won the Walters State Opener in August by a whopping 4:20.5 as she was timed in 22:03.9 for 5k.
This is the second time in her career that Dodson has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NJCAA DIVISION III MEN – Albert Szewczyk, Harper (Ill.)
Sophomore | Buffalo Grove, Illinois
Albert Szewczyk has been the highest-finishing JUCO runner in all three of his races this year.
His latest effort came at the Pioneer Gender Equity Invitational, where Szewczyk clocked 26:57.6 for 8k in finishing 24th overall. The top runner for the No. 1-ranked Hawks, Szewczyk was third at the North Central Invitational two weeks ago after starting the year with a fourth-place finish at the Rockford Rock River Invitational.
Szewczyk is the sixth male athlete from Harper to earn M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week honors in cross country.
NJCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Lilly Alberts, Harper (Ill.)
Three races, three wins for Lilly Alberts.
Most recently she won the Pioneer Gender Equity Invitational, finishing 7.5 seconds ahead of Ali Denamur of NCAA DIII Ripon (23:41.4 for 6k). Earlier this month she won the North Central Invitational by 26.3 seconds after opening the season with a 21.8-second victory at the Rockford Rock River Invitational.
This is the fourth time in her career that Alberts has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.