M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week (November 4)
NEW ORLEANS – Championship season is the best season.
Here are our M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week for November 4.
- NCAA Division I Men – Bob Liking, Wisconsin
- NCAA Division I Women – Doris Lemngole, Alabama
- NCAA Division II Men – Gage Osborne, Frostburg State
- NCAA Division II Women – Gwen Lloyd, Lock Haven
- NCAA Division III Men – Grant Matthai, UW-La Crosse
- NCAA Division III Women – Faith Duncan, Wilmington (Ohio)
- NAIA Men – Andre Souza, Soka (Calif.)
- NAIA Women – Mia Curiel, Our Lady of the Lake (Texas)
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 – Bob Liking, Wisconsin
Grad Student | St. Charles, Illinois
When you’re alongside Craig Virgin as one of two men in history to accomplish a feat, it’s safe to say that you’re in pretty good company. Such is the case for Bob Liking.
The Wisconsin standout won his fourth consecutive Big Ten individual title this past weekend, as he pulled away over the final 3k and broke the tape in a course-record 22:47.3. That victory coupled Liking with Virgin as the only two men in Big Ten history to win four in a row. Bob Kennedy and Kevin Sullivan also won four individual titles, but those came within a five-year span.
Liking led the Badgers to yet another Big Ten team title, just as he did in each of the previous three years he reigned individually. Now, Liking and Wisconsin turn their attention to the Great Lakes Region Championships, another meet in which Liking hopes to defend his title.
This is the second time in program history that a male athlete from Wisconsin has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Liking joins 2018 honoree Morgan McDonald in that regard. That’s not bad company to be in, either. McDonald would later win the individual title at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships.
NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Doris Lemngole, Alabama
Sophomore | West Pokot County, Kenya
Course records don’t stand a chance around Doris Lemngole.
The same could be said about any competition this season, too.
Lemngole remained undefeated with a resounding victory at the SEC Championships this past weekend in College Station, Texas. The Alabama star demolished the Dale Watts ’71 Cross Country Course record by nearly 17 seconds when she crossed the finish line in 18:20.3.
Both Lemngole and Hilda Olemomoi of Florida broke away from the pack around the 5k split and then Lemngole proved stronger over the final 1k. With Lemngole’s ultimate low stick, the Crimson Tide topped the podium for the second time in the past three years.
This is the second year in a row that Lemngole has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week. Lemngole previously earned national weekly honors on October 2, 2023.
NCAA DIVISION II MEN – Gage Osborne, Frostburg State
Sophomore | Poolesville, Maryland
Gage Osborne tuned up for the NCAA postseason in a big way.
The Frostburg State sophomore posted the top collegiate time at the Go Fast River Run this past weekend in 26:36.9. That was Osborne’s fastest mark over the 8k distance this season.
Osborne’s next race is on November 9 at the NCAA DII Men’s and Women’s Atlantic Region Cross Country Championships. Lo and behold, that race is scheduled to take place at the very same course. A good sign for someone looking to qualify for their first NCAA Championships.
This marks the first time in program history that an athlete from Frostburg State has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Gwen Lloyd, Lock Haven
Senior | Red Lion, Pennsylvania
There’s only one thing to do at a meet called the Go Fast River Run: go fast!
Gwen Lloyd of Lock Haven did just that, flying through her home course in 22:32.8 to raise the trophy for a second consecutive year. The senior had plenty of time to spare, boasting a 54 second gap to the next collegian, a stark contrast to 2023’s edition where the difference was less than 10 seconds.
Lloyd’s performance lifted the Bald Eagles to a tight team victory over Frostburg State 33-40. Both parties will hope for similar results in just a few days’ time as Lock Haven is set to host the 2024 NCAA DII Men’s and Women’s Atlantic Region Cross Country Championships this Saturday.
This marks the first time in program history that an athlete from Lock Haven has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NCAA DIVISION III MEN – Grant Matthai, UW-La Crosse
Junior | Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
With there being so much talk about UW-Whitewater teammates Christian Patzka and Gunner Schlender as favorites for the individual title at the upcoming NCAA DIII Cross Country Championships, Grant Matthai decided to throw his name into the discussion as well.
Matthai beat both Patzka and Schlender this past weekend at the WIAC Championships in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The trio was lockstep through 4800 meters on the Wisconsin River Golf Club grounds before Matthai pulled away over the final two miles to win by more than 14 seconds. Matthai crossed the finish line in 23:34.5, which is the fastest time among all NCAA DIII athletes this season, according to AthleticNET.
Sparked by Mattha, UW-La Crosse dominated the team race. The Eagles, who have been No. 1 in the National Coaches’ Poll all season along, won the team title with just 24 points.
This is the fourth time in program history that a male athlete from UW-La Crosse has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Matthai joins 2022 honoree Ethan Gregg, 2019 honoree Tyler Nault and 2013 honoree David Stilin in that regard.
NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Faith Duncan, Wilmington (Ohio)
Sophomore | Lebanon, Ohio
Holy Faith Duncan, Batman!
Duncan ripped one of the fastest 6k marks in NCAA DIII history this past weekend at the OAC Championships when she traversed the grass circuit in 19:49.2. Before Duncan’s blistering run, only one athlete in NCAA DIII history had gone sub-20 since 2008, according to AthleticNET data: former Saint Benedict star Fiona Smith did so three times last year, including her NCAA title-winning jaunt of 19:54.1.
More impressive? Duncan won the race by more than one minute, 30 seconds.
This is the second time this season that Duncan has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week. Duncan previously earned national weekly honors on September 23 following her decisive victory at the All-Ohio Intercollegiate Championships.
NAIA MEN – Andre Souza, Soka (Calif.)
Senior | Boise, Idaho
Two races in 10 days proved to be little problem for Andre Souza as he won them both.
His most recent victory came with the honor of being individual champion of the California Pacific Conference Championships, winning the 8k race at Woodward Park in Fresno, California by an impressive 43.9 seconds in 24:56.3. The win came after finishing fourth and 11th the previous two years.
It was the fourth time in five races this fall Souza had run sub-25, including a win the previous weekend at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational.
This is the first time that a male or female athlete from Soka has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country.
NAIA WOMEN – Mia Curiel, Our Lady of the Lake (Texas)
Junior | McAllen, Texas
This year’s Red River Conference Championships was an extra special race for Mia Curel.
Not only did Curel help Our Lady of the Lake win a team title for the sixth-straight year, she had the lead role in earning individual honors for the first time as the Saints won with 20 points. Curel won the individual crown by 15.3 seconds in clocking 24:03.6 over the 6k tract at Windcrest Golf Course in San Antonio, Texas.
Curel was a member of the Saints’ last two team titles, taking third last year and ninth in 2022.
This is the first time that a female or male athlete from Our Lady of the Lake has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country.