M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week (October 14, 2024)
NEW ORLEANS – Where has this season gone?
Here are our M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week for October 14.
- NCAA Division I Men – Casey Clinger, BYU
- NCAA Division I Women – Maddy Elmore, Oregon
- NCAA Division II Men – Ryan Hartman, Augustana (S.D.)
- NCAA Division II Women – Jenna Ramsey-Rutledge, Colo. School of Mines
- NCAA Division III Men – Derick Koen, RIT
- NCAA Division III Women – Kiera Rogan, Hamilton
- NAIA Men – Eli Fullerton, Indiana Wesleyan
- NAIA Women – Jaynie Halterman, Taylor (Ind.)
- NJCAA Division I Men – JaQuavious Harris, Salt Lake (Utah) CC
- NJCAA Division I Women – Elizabeth Ilanda, Odessa (Texas)
- NJCAA Division II Men – Jesse Carson, Lansing (Mich.) CC
- NJCAA Division II Women – Nora Brady, Heartland (Ill.) CC
- NJCAA Division III Men – Julian Borst, Kellogg (Mich.) CC
- NJCAA Division III Women – Isabella Wojciechowski, 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 – Casey Clinger, BYU
Senior | American Fork, Utah
Casey Clinger and his BYU teammates worked together for 7k of the Men’s 8k Collegiate race at the Bill Dellinger Invitational this past weekend. Once the Cougars started racing, though, Clinger was the strongest over the final 1k of the course at the Pine Ridge Golf Club.
Clinger won in a course-record 22:54.8 to lead a BYU deluge across the finish line. The Cougars went 2-3-4-5-7-10 behind Clinger for a perfect 15-point score and an resounding victory over No. 22 Oregon, 15-92. BYU’s top-5 athletes all went under the former course record of 23:05, set by Oregon’s Cooper Teare back in 2021.
This is the second time in Clinger’s career that he has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Clinger previously earned national weekly honors back on November 10, 2020.
NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Maddy Elmore, Oregon
Senior | Eugene, Oregon
Maddy Elmore was ready to run at the Bill Dellinger Invitational.
Elmore, who was racing in front of her hometown crowd as both an Oregon athlete and a graduate of nearby South Eugene High School, dropped the hammer between 1k and 3k on her way to an impressive victory at the Pine Ridge Golf Club. The Oregon senior traversed the 6k course in 19:40.2 – nearly ten seconds ahead of runner-up Erin Vringer of Utah – for her first career win on the grass circuit.
This is the second time in program history that a female athlete from Oregon has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week. Elmore joins 2018 honoree Susan Ejore in that regard.
NCAA DIVISION II MEN – Ryan Hartman, Augustana (S.D.)
Junior | Wausau, Wisconsin
Ryan Hartman is in a league of his own.
The Augustana (S.D.) standout nabbed a win at the Lewis Crossover in 23:38.48, a new course record. Hartman took down a stacked field, battling 2023 NCAA Championships podium finisher Matthew Storer of Colorado Christian for most of the race. The two men traded places until the former was able to open up a nine-second gap on his way to the title.
A few weeks prior, Hartman conducted similar business at the Griak Invitational. From a team standpoint, the results were very different. On an individual level, the outcome was the same: champion.
This is the second time this season that Hartman has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week. Hartman previously earned national weekly honors on September 23.
NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Jenna Ramsey-Rutledge, Colo. School of Mines
Redshirt Senior | Hutchinson, Kan.
Ladies and gentlemen, she’s back.
Jenna Ramsey-Rutledge blazed through the Lewis Crossover this Saturday on her way to victory in 20:43.2. The redshirt senior from Colo. School of Mines was forced to bring her A game with a trio of 2023 All-Americans – Khot Juac (fifth), Kendall Kramer (23rd) and Rosie Fordham (36th) – in attendance. Evidently, it paid off, as she ended the race with eleven seconds to spare.
Two races in the books now and two wins for Ramsey-Rutledge. That’s a pretty good ratio. It gets even better when looking at the Orediggers record with her in the lineup. A perfect 2-0.
This is the second time this season that Ramsey-Rutledge has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week. Ramsey-Rutledge previously earned national weekly honors on September 23.
NCAA DIVISION III MEN – Derick Koen, RIT
Junior | Rochester, New York
Derick Koen, we meet again.
Koen is an M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week selection for the second time this year. This time, Koen captured the individual title at the NJIT Highlander Invitational in 25:25.6, nearly 11 seconds faster than eventual runner-up and teammate Evan Owens. Koen was lockstep with Jakob Rager of Lock Haven through 2.1k, but surged ahead to lead by as many as 11 seconds at 5k.
This is the third time in the past five years that the same male athlete has been honored multiple times during the cross country season. Koen joins the likes of three-time 2023 honoree Christian Patzka of UW-Whitewater, three-time 2021 honoree Alex Phillip and four-time 2020 honoree Joe Freiburger of Wartburg in that regard.
NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Keira Rogan, Hamilton
Freshman | Saratoga Springs, New York
Keira Rogan hit the ground running.
Rogan, a freshman, won her second meet of the season this past weekend at the Hamilton Invitational – and it wasn’t even close. Rogan, who crossed the finish line in 17:20.9 for the 5k course, beat teammate Sylvie Najarian by more than one minute. Back in mid-September, Rogan posted another sizable 46-second victory at the Hamilton Short Course Invitational.
To say Rogan has been ready from the start would be an understatement. Between those two races, Rogan finished second at the Yellowjacket XC Invitational and then took seventh in a loaded field at the Paul Short Run two weeks ago.
This is the first time since 2015 that a female athlete from Hamilton has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Rogan joins 2015 honoree Michelle Fish in that regard.
NAIA MEN – Eli Fullerton, Indiana Wesleyan
Senior | Belpre, Ohio
Eli Fullerton’s strong season continues.
Fullerton won the Ray Bullock Invitational this past weekend in 24:56.2, more than 17 seconds faster than runner-up Brandon Kleber of Grace (Ind.). That low stick by Fullerton propelled NAIA No. 6 Indiana Wesleyan to a victory over fellow top-10 program Taylor (Ind.), among others.
Back in early September, Fullerton took top individual honors at the IWU Twilight XC Invitational and then placed ninth at the Gans Creek Classic three weeks later.
This is the second time this season – and third time in his career – that Fullerton has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week. Fullerton captured national weekly honors on September 9 of this year as well as on November 7, 2022.
NAIA WOMEN – Jaynie Halterman, Taylor (Ind.)
Freshman | Thompson’s Station, Tennessee
Three races. Three wins.
That’s what Jaynie Halterman does.
Halterman picked up her third individual title of the season – this time at the Ray Bullock Invitational on her home course. The Taylor (Ind.) freshman traversed the 6k course in 21:52.6 for a near six-second victory over Esther Cameron of Grace (Ind.). Halterman’s low stick helped the second-ranked Trojans to a decisive 23-65 victory over fellow top-10 program Grace (Ind.).
This is the third time this season that Halterman has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week. Halterman previously earned national weekly honors on September 9 and 30.
NJCAA DIVISION I MEN – JaQuavious Harris, Salt Lake (Utah) CC
Sophomore | Cheraw, South Carolina
By all accounts, JaQuavious Harris ran very well in the most competitive cross country race of his career at the Bill Dellinger Invitational in Springfield, Oregon.
His time of 23:09.9 was a PR for the 8k distance in finishing eighth behind seven NCAA Division I runners, including six from No. 2-ranked BYU. His previous best at the distance was the 23:18.0 he recorded in winning the individual title at the 2023 NJCAA DI Cross Country Championships.
Harris led his Salt Lake (Utah) CC team to sixth place behind only teams ranked or receiving votes in the NCAA DI National Coaches’ Poll. The Bruins are No. 2 in the NJCAA DII version as they aim for their first national title in Year 3 of the program’s history.
This is the third time that a male athlete from Salt Lake CC has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Harris joins Talon Rodriguez (2023) and Braden Minor (2022) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Elizabeth Ilanda, Odessa (Texas)
Freshman | Tanzania
To say that Elizabeth Ilanda ran fast at the New Mexico JC III Invitational is an understatement.
Ilanda’s time of 17:16.3 had her finishing the 5k race in Hobbs, New Mexico, a whopping 1:11.3 ahead of her nearest pursuer. But the real topper is that – even unpressed – she broke the Harry McAdams Park course record by 26.7 seconds. The old mark of 17:43.0 was set by NMJC’s Caroline Jepleting in 2009, a year when she also won the NJCAA DI Cross Country title.
This is the second time that a female athlete from Odessa has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country as Ilanda was also honored earlier this year.
NJCAA DIVISION II MEN – Jesse Carson, Lansing (Mich.) CC
Freshman | Lansing, Michigan
Who is the top runner for Lansing CC?
The easy answer is “a freshman” on a reigning national-championship team full of first-year runners for the Stars.
Jesse Carson evened the score with Logan Zahn for team honors with two apiece this year. Each can also claim being M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week as Zahn was last week’s honoree.
This weekend, Carson was the top collegian with a runner-up finish in the Jayhawk Invitational in Muskegon, Michigan, covering 8k in 25:08.7.
This is the eighth time that a male athlete from Lansing has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Carson and Zahn join Michael Dennis (three times in both 2023 and 2022) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Nora Brady, Heartland (Ill.) CC
Sophomore | Normal, Illinois
Nora Brady faced her strongest JUCO field of the year at the Indian Hills Invitational, a preview meet for neighboring Iowa-dominated Region 11 Championships.
Brady collected her third victory in four races this season, covering 5k in 18:04.0 to win by 19.4 seconds in Ottumwa, Iowa. That’s her closest margin yet this year among runners from two-year programs. The returning NCAA DII Cross Country runner-up, Brady is also the leading runner for last year’s team runner-up, Heartland CC.
This is the second time that a female athlete from Heartland CC has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Brady joins Olivia Bloyd (2021) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION III MEN – Julian Borst, Kellogg (Mich.) CC
Freshman | Kalamazoo, Michigan
Julian Borst keeps getting faster and faster.
With a 26:06.5 clocking for 8k at the Jayhawk Invitational in Muskegon, Michigan, Borst now has the year’s second-fastest time among NJCAA DIII athletes. Borst finished 19th in the race and was ninth among all JUCO runners (with all of the other two-year school athletes being in NJCAA DII).
Borst is a major reason why the Bruins – seventh in last year’s NJCAA DIII Cross Country Championships – are currently No. 4 in NJCAA DIII National Coaches’ Rankings.
This is the first time that a male or female athlete from Kellogg CC has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country.
NJCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Isabella Wojciechowski, Harper (Ill.)
Sophomore | Buffalo Grove, Illinois
There doesn’t seem to any slowing down for Isabella Wojciechowski.
Wojciechowski is undefeated this year against NJCAA DIII competition and now owns the year’s fastest time in the division at 6k after her PR 23:26.3 at the Gene Davis Invitational in Appleton, Wisconsin, finishing as the top JUCO athlete in tenth place.
Wojciechowski and twin sister Claudia also have the year’s two fastest marks at the championship distance of 5k. Both are returning members of the two-reigning NJCAA DIII champion Harper (Ill.) Hawks.
This is the 19th time that a female athlete from Harper has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Wojciechowski earned the honor twice earlier this year in joining Lilly Alberts (four times in 2023, three times in 2022), Rachel Temple (2018), Misbah Baig (twice in 2017) and Ali Gutt (five times in 2016, once in 2015) in that regard.