M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week (October 7)
NEW ORLEANS – The season is chugging along.
Here are our M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week for October 7.
- NCAA Division I Men – Ernest Cheruiyot, Texas Tech
- NCAA Division I Women – Chloe Thomas, UConn
- NCAA Division II Men – Weldon Chebon, New Mexico Highlands
- NCAA Division II Women – Lesli Salas, Dallas Baptist
- NCAA Division III Men – Gunner Schlender, UW-Whitewater
- NCAA Division III Women – Jules Bleskoski, RPI
- NAIA Men – Demetris Love, Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)
- NAIA Women – Allison Ramsey, St. Francis (Ill.)
- NJCAA Division I Men – Japhet Kiprono, Central Arizona
- NJCAA Division I Women – Rozzlyn Cazier, College of Southern Idaho
- NJCAA Division II Men – Logan Zahn, Lansing (Mich.) CC
- NJCAA Division II Women – Sierra Summers, Dawson (Mont.) CC
- NJCAA Division III Men – Kevin Diederich, College of DuPage (Ill.)
- NJCAA Division III Women – Carmen Solis, College of DuPage (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 – Ernest Cheruiyot, Texas Tech
Sophomore | Kericho, Kenya
Fast doesn’t even begin to describe the Men’s Blue 8k at the Joe Piane Invitational.
Seventeen athletes went sub-23 minutes – none faster than Ernest Cheruiyot of Texas Tech. Cheruiyot crossed the finish line in a staggering 22:20.3, which was 4.5 seconds faster than former M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week Evans Kurui of Washington State.
That was just another impressive performance for Cheruiyot, who went 14:05.3 over 5k at the Lori Fitzgerald Classic back on August 31 to finish runner-up to teammate Solomon Kipchoge.
This is the first time since 2013 that an athlete from Texas Tech has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week. Cheruiyot joins 2012 NCAA DI Cross Country individual champion Kennedy Kithuka in that regard (Kithuka was honored twice 11 years ago).
NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Chloe Thomas, UConn
Senior | Dundas, Ontario
Many have raced the 6k tract at Lehigh University’s Goodman Campus.
None have gone faster in the history of that course than Chloe Thomas of UConn.
Thomas scorched the grass circuit in 19:23.8 this past weekend to convincingly win the Women’s College Gold 6k at the Paul Short Run. That destroyed the former course record by ten seconds and won the race by more than 30 seconds over Vera Sjoberg of Boston University.
It has been a record-breaking year thus far for Thomas, who also took down the 6k meet record at the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational back in September with her 19:51.8 winner. Not only that, but it was the fourth-fastest, all-time performance on that course behind a legendary trio of Sheila Reid of Villanova, Kim Smith of Providence and Emily Infeld of Georgetown.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from UConn has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NCAA DIVISION II MEN – Weldon Chebon, New Mexico Highlands
Freshman | Timbora, Kenya
Welcome to the party, Weldon Chebon.
In just his third collegiate race, Chebon topped a field of 400 at the DBU Old Glory Gallup in 23:32.6, leaving a twenty second gap to the next competitor. Perhaps even more impressive is that the Cowboy rode away from the entirety of the East Central (Okla.) roster. For those unaware, that list is headlined by four All-Americans, including Aspel Kiprop, who finished sixth at the 2023 NCAA Championships.
In hindsight, it was only a matter of time before Chebon received national attention. At the Roadrunner Invitational in late September, the freshman held his own against No. 2 Colo. School of Mines, breaking up a pack of Orediggers. Chebon walked away with a win in his only other race at the HU XC Jam a week later.
This marks the third time in program history that a male athlete from New Mexico Highlands has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Chebon joins Andrew Amor and two-time honoree Collins Kurui.
NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Lesli Salas, Dallas Baptist
Sophomore | San Angelo, Texas
Home course advantage proved fruitful for Lesli Salas.
The Dallas Baptist sophomore emerged victorious at the DBU Old Glory Gallup this past weekend in 17:05.8. Salas surged into the lead with a blistering third mile and crossed the finish line nearly 18 seconds ahead of two NCAA DI athletes from Rice and 2023 NCAA DII Cross Country All-American Sophia Strange of Oklahoma Baptist.
Salas had an impressive freshman campaign on the grass circuit that saw her land All-South Central Region honors and a 12th-place finish at the USATF U20 Cross Country Championships.
This marks the third time in program history that a female athlete from Dallas Baptist has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Salas joins Madison Brown and Kelsey Bruce.
NCAA DIVISION III MEN – Gunner Schlender, UW-Whitewater
Senior | Brillion, Wisconsin
Gunner Schlender had a breakthrough performance this past weekend on one of the season’s biggest stages. It’s apropos that it happened under the brights lights of the NCAA DIII Twilight.
Competing at night, Schlender captured the individual title in the Men’s 8k Championship on the same course that will host the upcoming NCAA DIII Cross Country Championships. Schlender covered the 8k tract in 24:08.97 – nearly seven seconds faster than teammate Christian Patzka, who is a five-time NCAA champion on the track and finished runner-up in cross country last year (Patzka is also a six-time M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week honoree).
This is the eighth time in program history that an athlete from UW-Whitewater has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Schlender joins Patzka and 2014 honoree Dawson Miller in that regard.
NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Jules Bleskoski, RPI
Sophomore | Syracuse, New York
Jules Bleskoski didn’t back down from a challenge.
Bleskoski won a stacked Women’s College White 6k at the Paul Short Run in 20:42.5. The sophomore beat three top-10 finishers from the NCAA DIII Cross Country Championships last year – namely third-place finisher Penelope Greene of SUNY Geneseo – as well as four other All-Americans.
Not only that, but Bleskoski led RPI to a fourth-place finish in the team standings, topping top-10 ranked squads Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and SUNY Geneseo.
This is the first time a female athlete from RPI has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NAIA MEN – Demetris Love, Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)
Grad Student | Phoenix, Arizona
Demetris Love might have just established himself as a contender for the individual title at the upcoming NAIA Cross Country Championships.
Love stormed to victory at The Master’s (Calif.) Invitational this past weekend in 24:11.7. The senior from Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) beat multi-time NAIA track champion Senzo Sokhela by more than eight seconds. Love also helped the Eagles finish third in the team standings.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NAIA WOMEN – Allison Ramsey, St. Francis (Ill.)
Grad Student | Oak Forest, Illinois
Last one, best one?
Allison Ramsey certainly hopes so.
Ramsey cruised to the individual title at the Seminole Valley Stampede this past weekend, covering the 6k course in 22:11.2. It was the first career victory on the grass circuit for Ramsey.
As a graduate student, Ramsey has one final crack at the NAIA Cross Country Championships. Ramsey will look to improve upon her previous best finish of 72nd at the meet come November.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from St. Francis (Ill.) has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NJCAA DIVISION I MEN – Japhet Kiprono, Central Arizona
Freshman | Kenya
Japhet Kiprono’s second race for Central Arizona was a resounding victory – for him and his Vaquero teammates, ranked No. 9 in NJCAA Division I.
And Kiprono did it in the CAMPY Invitational held on the campus of Central Arizona, which “offers different terrain than the standard golf course,” says Vaquero coach Jon Harmon. Kiprono clocked 25:52 for 8k in winning by 17 seconds over Fermin Villagran of CAC Alumni. Central Arizona won the team title with 20 points.
The fourth annual race’s name is an acronym of five CAC coaches who are NJCAA Hall of Fame inductees (Chuck Schnoor, Al Shirley, Mike Gray, Paul Tavares and George Young).
This is the sixth time that a male athlete from Central Arizona has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Kiprono joins Jesus Aldana (2018) and Gilbert Kigen (twice in both 2016 and 2015) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Rozzlyn Cazier, College of Southern Idaho
Sophomore | Melba, Idaho
Rozzlyn Cazier was back in familiar territory – leading the College of Southern Idaho to an impressive finish.
Cazier claimed tenth place as the top JUCO athlete and seventh collegian overall, covering the 5k course in 17:31.2 at Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational in Salem, Oregon. The Golden Eagles finished second in the team standings among mostly four-year programs.
Cazier – who finished fifth individually for fourth-place Southern Idaho at the NJCAA DI Cross Country Championships last year – is one of four returners for No. 4-ranked CSI, which features three other returners including Laurie Davidson. Cazier and Davidson are 2-2 this season in splitting time as the team’s top runner.
This is the fourth time that a female athlete from Southern Idaho has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Cazier joins Elizabeth Phillips (2023), Natalya Babcock (2021) and Maura Williams (2020) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION II MEN – Logan Zahn, Lansing (Mich.) CC
Freshman | Haslett, Michigan
It was Logan Zahn’s turn again to lead No. 3-ranked Lansing.
This time it was in the Live in Lou Classic’s Blue race as Zahn clocked a PR 25:39.2 for 8k as the leading JUCO athlete in taking 34th place as the Stars finished 16th as a team among 29 other (all four-year) programs.
The Stars won the NJCAA DII Cross Country team title last year but have an entirely new squad this year, with Zahn twice leading the way thus far while freshman Nate Carmody and Jesse Carson have also done so.
This is the seventh time that a male athlete from Lansing has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Zahn joins Michael Dennis (three times in both 2023 and 2022) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Sierra Summers, Dawson (Mont.) CC
Freshman | Wolf Point, Montana
The Dawson CC cross country team is making program history and Sierra Summers is leading the way.
Summers was the Buccaneers’ top runner for the fourth time this season, most recently as the leading JUCO athlete in the Yellowjackets/Battlin’ Bears Open at Amend Park in Billings, Montana. Summers finished sixth in 22:53.7 for 6k in a field of 70 that was predominantly comprised of runners from four-year programs.
Last week, Dawson found itself in the “also receiving votes” category in the NJCAA DII National Coaches’ Poll. It was the first time that a women’s or men’s team from Dawson had ever received any votes in the national poll.
This is the first time that a female or male athlete from Dawson has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country.
NJCAA DIVISION III MEN – Kevin Diederich, College of DuPage (Ill.)
Sophomore | Elmhurst, Illinois
Kevin Diederich has never been faster over 8k than he was at the Seminole Valley Stampede.
Diederich clocked 25:49.5 as the leading JUCO athlete in placing 25th on the 8k course at Seminole Valley Park in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Not only was his time a PR – faster even than when he was runner-up in last year’s NJCAA DIII Cross Country Championships – it’s also the fastest recorded this year over 8k for any NJCAA DIII athlete.
Diederich led the No. 2-ranked Chaps to an 11th-place finish among 19 teams, almost all of which were four-year programs.
This is the fifth time that a male athlete from DuPage has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Diederich earned the honor earlier this in joining Nicholas Keeling (three times in 2022) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Carmen Solis, College of DuPage (Ill.)
Sophomore | Aurora, Illinois
Carmen Solis continues to post fast times.
How fast?
Her 23:34.0 clocking for 6k at the Seminole Valley Stampede in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was her fastest over the distance this year by more than 1½ minutes. It was also a PR by just over a minute as she placed 23rd as the leading JUCO athlete by 31.5 seconds.
It was the fourth time in four races this year she has been the highest-finishing runner from a two-year program as she aims to improve on her third-place finish in last year’s NJCAA DIII Cross Country Championships.
This is the third time that a female athlete from DuPage has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Solis earned the honor earlier this year in joining Lillian Buzani (2022) in that regard.