M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week (Sept. 9, 2024)
NEW ORLEANS – Cross country is back in full force!
Here are our M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week for September 9!
- NCAA Division I Men – Abraham Chelangam, Oral Roberts
- NCAA Division I Women – Annastasia Peters, Utah
- NCAA Division II Men – Jagger Zlotoff, UC-Colorado Springs
- NCAA Division II Women – Maggie McCleskey, Adams State
- NCAA Division III Men – Derick Koen, RIT
- NCAA Division III Women – Haley Schoenegge, Vassar
- NAIA Men – Eli Fullerton, Indiana Wesleyan
- NAIA Women – Jaynie Halterman, Taylor (Ind.)
- NJCAA Division I Men – Geofrey Ronoh, Iowa Western CC
- NJCAA Division I Women – Faith Jepchirchir, Hutchinson (Kan.) CC
- NJCAA Division II Men – Evan Casterline, Daytona State (Fla.)
- NJCAA Division II Women – Olivia Ippel, Lake Michigan
- NJCAA Division III Men – Owen Whelan, Harper (Ill.)
- NJCAA Division III Women – Jailey Pigg, Mineral Area (Mo.)
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 – Abraham Chelangam, Oral Roberts
Sophomore | Kampala, Uganda
Abraham Chelangam ran into – and through – the record book.
Chelangam obliterated the 6k course record at Rim Rock Farm on August 31, according to data available on MileSplit. The Oral Roberts star traversed the distance in 17:45.7 to win by nearly 48 seconds at the Bob Timmons Classic. Chandler Gibbens held the previous course best at 18:21.70.
Ever since Chelangam transferred to Oral Roberts from Oklahoma City, where he won the NAIA cross country individual title in 2022, the Ugandan has been on a tear. Chelangam racked up 56 points between the Summit League Track & Field Championships: ORU got 30 points from him indoors (mile-3000-5000 triple) and 26 outdoors (5000-10,000 double, third in the 1500).
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from Oral Roberts has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Annastasia Peters, Utah
Sophomore | Post Falls, Idaho
Annastasia Peters made her move and never looked back at the UVU Invitational.
Peters broke away from the pack midway through the 3 mile race on August 30 and won by 12.2 seconds in 16:25.8 for her first collegiate victory. Her previous best finish was third at the Roy Griak Invitational last year, which led Utah to runner-up honors behind California Baptist.
The former Gatorade Idaho Girls Player of the Year burst on the scene as a freshman in 2023. Peters was Utah’s low stick in four of the five races in which she competed, most notably at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships where she earned All-America honors in 33rd place.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from Utah has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NCAA DIVISION II MEN – Jagger Zlotoff, UC-Colorado Springs
Redshirt Junior | Gilbert, Arizona
Jagger Zlotoff is a prime example that mid-distance specialists can shine in cross country.
The UC-Colorado Springs redshirt junior pounced on the first opportunity of the season, leading the mountain lions to victory on their home course in a time of 25:10.6. Zlotoff even demonstrated his ability to change gears, opening up a 14 second gap to fellow RMAC competitor Noel Lopez out of MSU Denver.
The search for All-American honors is underway once again for Zlotoff after a 45th place finish at the 2023 NCAA Championships put the UCCS standout just out of reach. All that remains is the cross country leg of the trifecta, as Zlotoff secured honors in both Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field following a third place finish in the Mile and seventh place finish in the 1500 meters at the 2024 NCAA Championships.
This is just the second time in program history that a male athlete from UC-Colorado Springs has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Zlotoff joins Afewerki Zeru who took home the honors on September 12, 2022.
NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Maggie McCleskey, Adams State
Junior | Louisville, Colorado
Maggie McCleskey is ready to go.
The junior out of Adams State shook off the training cobwebs to bring home a win at the 31st Joe Vigil Open in 17.12.2. Her blazing display put 15 seconds in between runner-up 2023 All-American teammate Emily Schoellkopf. Even so, the Grizzlies managed a classic one-two-three sweep and promptly took down #5 CSU-Pueblo by 28 points.
McCleskey has been trending upwards since she joined Adams State, earning a place on the Grizzlies’ 2022 national title team. Coupled with a podium finish in the 5000 meters at the 2024 Outdoor Track and Field Championships McCleskey will be hoping her success has new milestones on the horizon.
This is the sixth time in program history that a female athlete from Adams State has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the Cross Country season. Mckleskey joins Franziska Althaus, Elish Flanagan, Stephanie Cotter, Sadie Baker and two-time winner Brianna Robles.
NCAA DIVISION III MEN – Derick Koen, RIT
Junior | Rochester, New York
Derick Koen got a taste of winning five times during his sophomore year.
So, Koen figured he might as well start his junior campaign the same way.
Koen raced to victory at the Fisher-Rodenbeck Invitational on August 30 when he covered the 6k tract in 19:34.2. He got out quickly on the St. John Fisher Old Gold Course and opened a near six-second lead on the chase pack by the 2k split.
Most notable of Koen’s five victories last year between cross country and track & field was his triumph in the Men’s College White Race at the Paul Short Run. Koen crossed the finish line first ahead of 387 other runners.
This is the fourth time in program history that a male athlete from RIT has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Koen joins two-time honoree Otto Kingstedt (2017 and 2018) as well as Aleksi Bingham (2019) in that regard.
NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Haley Schoenegge, Vassar
Sophomore | Prospect, Kentucky
Haley Schoenegge liked it so much on top of the podium at the conclusion of the outdoor track & field season that she figured she’d continue the trend to open the cross country season.
Schoenegge, who won the 1500-meter crown at the NCAA DIII Outdoor Championships more than four months ago, captured the individual title at the Vassar Season Starter on August 30. The sophomore covered the 3k course in 10:32.6, winning by exactly 18 seconds.
Not much could slow down Schoenegge during the outdoor season. Schoenegge went undefeated in the 1500 meters, capped by a dominant 9.20-second victory in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. She crossed the finish line in 4:19.46, which put her ninth on the NCAA DIII all-time chart.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from Vassar has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NAIA MEN – Eli Fullerton, Indiana Wesleyan
Senior | Belpre, Ohio
Eli Fullerton picked up where he left off.
Fullerton, a senior from Belpre, Ohio, won at his home course at the Indiana Wesleyan Twilight Invitational on Friday, September 4. He covered the 8k course in 24:43.2, to take the individual crown by 10 seconds ahead of 2023 All-American Tyler Jenkins of Rio Grande (Ohio). Fullerton placed fifth in the 5000 meters at the 2023 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
No. 8-ranked Taylor (Ind.) claimed the team crown while No. 4 Indiana Wesleyan took runner-up honors, 62-79.
This is the second time Fullerton has been named M-F Athletic USTFCCCA Cross Country NAIA Athlete of the Week.
This is the second time Fullerton has been named USTFCCCA Cross Country NAIA Athlete of the Week.
NAIA WOMEN – Jaynie Halterman, Taylor (Ind.)
Freshman | Thompson’s Station, Tenn.
What freshman jitters?
Halterman made the most of her collegiate debut as she took the individual crown and led her No. 4-nationally ranked team to victory at the Indiana Wesleyan Twilight Invitational. Halterman covered the 6k course in 21:58.2, over 14 seconds ahead of her teammate Ahna Neideck. According to the data collected by AthleticNET to-date, Halterman’s time is the fastest, in a 6k, by an NAIA athlete in these early weeks of the season.
Taylor (Ind.) placed three in the top five and scored just 29 points for decisive victories over No. 16 Grace (Ind.) (99 points), No. 9 Indiana Wesleyan (111), and No. 13 Huntington (Ind.) (117).
Halterman is the second to earn M-F Athletic USTFCCCA Cross Country NAIA Athlete of the Week honors, joining Audrey Brinkruff from 2023.
NJCAA DIVISION I MEN – Geofrey Ronoh, Iowa Western CC
Sophomore | Koibatek, Kenya
Two races, two wins – that’s how Geofrey Ronoh’s season has begun.
First up for Ronoh was the Hawkeye Invitational on Aug. 31, where he covered the 6K course in 17:43.1 to win by 6.9 seconds. He was even more dominant in winning the Augie Twilight on Sept. 6, finishing the 4-mile (6.4K) tract under the lights in 17:58.6 to win by 10.2 seconds over 2021 winner Ryan Hartman of host Augustana (S.D.).
This is the fourth time that a male athlete from Iowa Western has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Ronoh joins Nicholas Kiprotich (2021) and Sylvester Barus (twice in 2015) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Faith Jepchirchir, Hutchinson (Kan.) CC
Freshman | Kenya
It was time for fun for Faith Jepchirchir at the Fun Valley Sports Complex.
Jepchirchir, running in her collegiate debut, became the first female from host Hutchinson (Kan.) CC to win the Terry Masterson Twilight Classic. She won the race by 16.9 seconds, covering the 3-mile course in 18:17.0.
This is the first time that a female athlete from Hutchinson has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country.
NJCAA DIVISION II MEN – Evan Casterline, Daytona State (Fla.)
Sophomore | Orlando, Florida
Evan Casterline now has two sports in which he’s successful after winning the junior college division of the UCF Cross Country Invitational by 12.5 seconds, covering the on-campus 5K course in 15:48.9 for the first collegiate victory of his career.
Until his senior year of high school, Casterline’s athletic world centered on rowing, in which he made the 2022-23 U.S. Rowing Scholastic Honor Roll.
This is fourth time that a male athlete from Daytona State has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week for cross country. Casterline joins Sebastian Hernandez (twice in 2022) and Andy Martinez (2020) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Olivia Ippel, Lake Michigan
Sophomore | St. Joseph, Michigan
New year, same Olivia Ippel.
Ippel, who was undefeated last year in winning the NJCAA DII Cross Country Championships, started off 2024 victoriously in winning the Skippers Showcase on Aug. 30 in Goodells, Michigan.
Ippel won the sixth race of her collegiate career in 20:01.5 over a wet and muddy 5K tract that was 17.2 seconds faster than her nearest pursuer.
This is the fifth time that an athlete from Lake Michigan has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Ippel earned the honor four times last year.
NJCAA DIVISION III MEN – Owen Whelan, Harper (Ill.)
Sophomore | Schaumburg, Illinois
Owen Whelan had a good way to compare his opening race of the cross country season being that it was once again at the North Central (Ill.) Invitational.
His improvement was impressive as his 26:18.0 clocking on the St. James Farm 8K was 49.3 seconds faster than last year. This year’s performance made him the top JUCO finisher in 10th place, and it’s worth noting that five of those ahead of him were members of UW-Whitewater’s stable that is the No. 3-ranked squad in NCAA DIII.
This is the ninth time that a male athlete from Harper has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Whelan joins Albert Szewczyk (2023), Jacob Melgosa (2019), Tony Espinoza (2018), Michael Sisko (2018), Sean Sanaghan (twice in 2017) and Scott Williams (twice in 2016) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Jailey Pigg, Mineral Area (Mo.)
Freshman | De Soto, Missouri
It was worth the wait.
Jailey Pigg’s collegiate cross country debut was delayed one week due to stormy weather that even caused Mineral Area (Mo.) open up at a different meet altogether.
And Pigg was more than ready, winning the Lyon College Invitational in Batesville, Arkansas, by 12.0 seconds with a time of 20:25.0 for the 5k course
This is the first time that a female athlete from Mineral Area has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.