M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week (October 16)
NEW ORLEANS – How can it get any better?
Here are the M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week in collegiate cross country for October 16, 2023!
- NCAA Division I Men – Graham Blanks, Harvard
- NCAA Division I Women – Parker Valby, Florida
- NCAA Division II Men – Jan Lukas Becker, Mississippi College
- NCAA Division II Women – Isabel Marsh, Adelphi
- NCAA Division III Men – Christian Patzka, UW-Whitewater
- NCAA Division III Women – Evelyn Battleson-Gunkel, UChicago
- NAIA Men – Robert Swoboda, Corban (Ore.)
- NAIA Women – Alex Ebetino, St. Francis (Ind.)
- NJCAA Division I Men – Adem Bouldjadj, Butler (Kan.) CC
- NJCAA Division I Women – Silvia Gradizzi, Iowa Western CC
- NJCAA Division II Men – Glen Davis, St. Clair County (Mich.) CC
- NJCAA Division II Women – Olivia Ippel, Lake Michigan
- NJCAA Division III Men – Omar Mohamed, Mohawk Valley (N.Y.) CC
- 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 – Graham Blanks, Harvard
Junior | Athens, Georgia
Graham Blanks didn’t have a lack of motivation at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational.
After finishing outside of the top-25 at the same meet in both 2021 and 2022, Blanks raced to victory on the Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course this past weekend in 23:23.4.
“Failure,” Blanks told RunnerSpace after the race when asked about his reason for winning. “I failed two times here. It’s one of the hardest courses in the country. Coming back here after two tries at it, I felt a lot more experienced.”
Blanks sat with the lead pack in the Men’s 8k Championship and made his winning move with just about 400 meters to go. The Harvard standout threw in a surge and when nobody matched him, he continued to press down the homestretch. Blanks crossed the finish line 2.8 seconds ahead of 2022 NCAA individual runner-up Nico Young of Northern Arizona.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from Harvard has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Parker Valby, Florida
Junior | Tampa, Florida
Parker Valby wouldn’t let it happen twice in 11 months.
Racing against Katelyn Tuohy on the grass circuit for the first time since the NCAA Championships last year, Valby made sure the NC State standout wouldn’t catch her a second time after thinking she made a decisive move. Valby shook Tuohy with about 2k to go in the Women’s 6k Championship at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational and didn’t look back, ultimately winning by 12.4 seconds in a meet-record 19:17.2.
“Statement win” doesn’t even begin to describe Valby’s victory this past weekend. Valby beat a field that included three other top-5 finishes from last year’s NCAA Championships: Tuohy (champ), teammate Kelsey Chmiel (third) and Elise Stearns of Northern Arizona (fourth) were the others. Don’t forget about eighth-place athlete Olivia Markezich of Notre Dame, either.
This is the second year in a row that Valby has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Valby previously earned national weekly honors last year on October 31 after winning the individual title at the SEC Championships.
NCAA DIVISION II MEN – Jan Lukas Becker, Mississippi College
Senior | Saarbuecken, Germany
It’s been a long time coming for Jan Lukas Becker.
Since his eighth-place finish at the NCAA DII Cross Country Championships last fall, the Mississippi College senior has been on a tear, topping the podium at 10,000 meters on both a conference and national stage. All that said, the 10,000-meter champ was still looking to translate his success from rubber to grass. Saturday he accomplished just that.
A 24-second victory at the Watson Collegiate Classic had Becker on Cloud Nine. The new school record holder will look to reignite his hunger and point the Choctaws’ attention towards the Gulf South Conference Cross Country Championships this weekend.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from Mississippi College has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Isabel Marsh, Adelphi
Senior | East Meadow, N.Y
Isabel Marsh has been tough to beat this season.
The Adelphi Panther cruised to a second-place finish at the Bruce Kirsch Cross Country Cup in 18:10, barely losing out on a title to Ava Mahoney, who competes for NCAA DI Merrimack College. The two women duked it out over the 5k race, gapping the rest of the field by 35 seconds.
Marsh is no stranger to NCAA DI competition, as two out of her three runner-up performances this season came in contests that featured programs such as UMass Lowell and Boston University. The last runner-up performance? Let’s just say it was due to her “better half.” Since the beginning, Isabel has raced with, and against her twin sister Katherine. Throughout their 2023 campaign, the Paul Short Run was the only occasion where the latter got the best of the former.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from Adelphi has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NCAA DIVISION III MEN – Christian Patzka, UW-Whitewater
Junior | Black Earth, Wisconsin
Either Christian Patzka or James Settles was bound to win consecutive individual titles this season. Patzka and Settles were lockstep for most of the Men’s Varsity 8k at the Augustana Interregional Invitational this past weekend, including down the homestretch.
Ultimately it was Patzka who had the most left as he edged Settles by 1.5 seconds at the finish line, 24:19.3 to 24:20.8. That low stick, coupled with two other Warhawks in the top-15, led UW-Whitewater to a runner-up in the team standings behind top-ranked North Central (Ill.).
Patzka hit his stride as of late, winning this past weekend and three weeks ago at the Blugold Invitational against similar strength fields. It’s safe to say he’ll be a major player at the NCAA DIII Cross Country Championships in less than one month in Newville, Pennsylvania.
This is the second time this season that Patzka has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week. He previously earned national weekly honors after winning the Blugold Invitational.
NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Evelyn Battleson-Gunkel, UChicago
Senior | Montclair, New Jersey
Evelyn Battleson-Gunkel is pacing UChicago to a dream season.
Battleson-Gunkel took top individual honors at the stacked Augustana Interregional Invitational this past weekend in 21:24.7, 2.9 seconds faster than the previously undefeated Carolyn Shult of UW-Eau Claire. UChicago was one of eight top-30 squads in the field and Battleson-Gunkel’s low stick propelled the top-ranked Maroons to the team title over third-ranked Wartburg.
Earlier this season, Battleson-Gunkel finished seventh at the Joe Piane Invitational against a host of NCAA DI athletes, second at the Gil Dodds Invitational behind teammate Maddie Kelly and won her first collegiate race back in early September at the St. Francis Saints Twilight.
This is the first time since 2014 that a female athlete from UChicago has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Battleson-Gunkel joins Brianna Hickey in that regard (Hickey was honored on September 2, 2014).
NAIA MEN – Robert Swoboda, Corban (Ore.)
Grad Student | Ukiah, California
The race for the men’s individual title at the Lewis-Clark State Invitational came down to Robert Swoboda of Corban (Ore.) and Jackson Wilson of Rocky Mountain (Mont.). The duo was more than ten seconds ahead of the chase pack as the race hit the final homestretch in Idaho.
Swoboda proved quickest as he crossed the finish line one second ahead of Wilson, 23:54.0 to 23:55.0. That was the second win of the season for Swoboda, who previously topped the podium at the Oak Knoll Loop Run in mid-September.
NAIA fans might recognize Swoboda from this past outdoor season. Swoboda won the 10,000 meters at the NAIA Outdoor Championships in 30:19.80.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from Corban (Ore.) has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NAIA WOMEN – Alex Ebetino, St. Francis (Ind.)
Grad Student | Fort Wayne, Indiana
Alex Ebetino is rounding into postseason form.
Ebetino, who finished fifth at the 2022 NAIA Cross Country Championships, cruised to the individual title at the Jenna Strong Fall Classic at Wilmington (Ohio) in 18:10.5. That was a 20-second victory for Ebetino and the second win of her collegiate career on the grass circuit (Ebetino previously topped the podium at the Crossroads League Championships in 2021).
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from St. Francis (Ind.) has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NJCAA DIVISION I MEN – Adem Bouldjadj, Butler (Kan.) CC
Freshman | Jijel, Algeria
Keeping up with Adem Bouldjadj is not easy – the closest anyone has come this is year is 54.1 seconds.
Bouldjadj’s fourth win of the year was another romp, winning the Firestarter Classic by 1:04.6 with a time of 23:39.1 for the 8k course that served as the Kansas Jayhawk CC Conference preview meet. It’s the third time he’s won a race by more than one minute.
This is the third time that a male athlete from Butler CC has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Bouldjadj one it once earlier this year, joining Rodgers Rotich (2021) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Silvia Gradizzi, Iowa Western CC
Freshman | Italy
Silvia Gradizzi is making her presence known.
In just her second race for the Reivers, Gradizzi was the leading JUCO finisher at the Platte River Rumble as she finished fifth overall in 21:29.5 for 8k as two top-5 NJCAA Division I teams line up with four-year programs.
This is the 12th time that a female athlete from Iowa Western CC has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Gradizzi joins Mercy Biwott (three times in 2021-22), Faith Linga (seven times in 2019-20) and Shanieke Watson (2016) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION II MEN – Glen Davis, St. Clair County (Mich.) CC
Freshman | Burtchville, Michigan
Redemption was on the mind of the St. Clair County (Mich.) CC cross country team after finishing fifth in their home meet two weeks ago.
Led by individual champ Glen Davis, the Skippers claimed the team title at the Marian Ancilla Chargers Invitational. Davis ran wire-to-wire on the soggy 8k course, clocking 25:35.8 to win by 7.6 seconds in leading No. 8-ranked St. Clair County to win over four other ranked NJCAA Division II squads.
This is the first time that an athlete from St. Clair County has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NJCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Olivia Ippel, Lake Michigan
Freshman | St. Joseph, Michigan
Make it four-for-four – and three course records – for Olivia Ippel in 2023.
Ippel dominated the field at the Marian Ancilla Chargers Invitational, winning by just over a minute in 17:54.6 for 5k over a field that included four ranked NJCAA Division II programs.
This is the third time that an athlete from Lake Michigan has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Ippel owns the other two honors from earlier this year.
NJCAA DIVISION III MEN – Omar Mohamed, Mohawk Valley (N.Y.) CC
Sophomore | Utica, New York
How easy did Omar Mohamed make it look in winning the Mountain Valley Conference Championships? He won by 1:22.0 in covering the 8k course in 27:10.2.
It was the fifth time this year that Mohamed has vanquished all of his JUCO competition – and third time winning his race outright.
This is the sixfth time that a male athlete from Mohawk Valley has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Mohamed repeated his honor from last week and joins Zakaria Djouma (four times in 2015) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Lilly Alberts, Harper (Ill.)
Freshman | Richmond, Illinois
Lilly Alberts finally met her match, but she’s still undefeated against collegians this year.
Alberts was runner-up behind an unattached runner in the White Race at the Bradley Pink Classic, covering the 6k tract in 22:06.1. That was 1:30.2 faster than she ran in this same meet last year and more than three minutes ahead of next JUCO runner.
This is the 15th time that a female athlete from Harper has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Harper has won twice this year and three times in 2022, joining Rachel Temple (2018), Misbah Baig (twice in 2017) and Ali Gutt (five times in 2016, once in 2015) in that regard.