M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week (Sept. 8, 2025)
NEW ORLEANS – Cross country is back in full force!
Here are our M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week for September 8!
- NCAA Division I Men – Davin Thompson, BYU
- NCAA Division I Women – Morgan Nokes, Utah Valley
- NCAA Division II Men – Matthew Storer, Colorado Christian
- NCAA Division II Women – Hannah Hartwell, Fort Lewis
- NCAA Division III Men – BJ Sorg, North Central (Ill.)
- NCAA Division III Women – Hannah Stephenson, Amherst
- NAIA Men – Drew Hogan, Goshen (Ind.)
- NAIA Women – Jaynie Halterman, Taylor (Ind.)
- NJCAA Division I Men – Geofrey Ronoh, Iowa Western CC
- NJCAA Division I Women – Juliana Sakat, Iowa Western CC
- NJCAA Division II Men – Nate Carmody, Lansing (Mich.) CC
- NJCAA Division II Women – Olivia Baker, Mesa (Ariz.) CC
- NJCAA Division III Men – Nathan Ciarlette, Joliet (Ill.) JC
- NJCAA Division III Women – Sophia Mullins, Jefferson (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 – Davin Thompson, BYU
Senior | Lehi, Utah
BYU is searching for a low stick after graduating its top-three runners from last year’s national championship team — and It might have found one in Davin Thompson.
Thompson, who finished 50th at the 2024 NCAA Championships as the Cougars’ fifth man, won the BYU Autumn Classic this past weekend. The senior from Lehi, Utah, covered the 7k course in 19:49.0 to beat teammate Noah Jenkins by exactly six seconds.
A steady presence for the Cougars, Thompson owns two top-50 finishes at the NCAA Championships, including a career-best 30th in 2022. He also found his footing on the track this past year, finishing top-eight in each distance event offered at the Big 12 Championships.
This is the second year in a row and the seventh time in program history that a male athlete from BYU has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Morgan Nokes, Utah Valley
Senior | Boise, Idaho
Morgan Nokes hit the ground running in her first race back from regnancy.
The senior from Boise, Idaho, stormed to the individual title at the Utah Valley Invitational this past weekend, traversing the 5k course in 16:30.10 to win by more than 39 seconds.
Nokes enjoyed a breakout 2023 campaign on the grass circuit, highlighted by a fourth-place finish at the Lehigh Paul Short Run and a 12th-place effort at the Mountain Region Championships. She capped her junior season with a 68th-place finish at the NCAA Championships.
This is the first time in program history that a female athlete from Utah Valley has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NCAA DIVISION II MEN – Matthew Storer, Colorado Christian
Redshirt Senior | Colorado Springs, Colorado
Matthew Storer shook off a few cobwebs at the Rust Buster Invitational this Saturday.
The redshirt senior appeared to already be in mid-season form, going 24:44.1 across 8k, and leading the Cougars to a team win over host No. 14 UC-Colorado Springs. Storer had his work cut out for him, battling NCAA DIII All-American Will Shuflit from the gun. The two were separated by nine seconds once the dust settled, with the Colorado College veteran crossing the line in 24:53.9.
Storer’s accolades run back to 2022, where he started his lengthy resume with an All-American finish (17th) at the NCAA DII Championships. Since then, he’s notched two more All-America honors in 2023 (third) and 2024 (fourth). He’ll be looking to close the door on a prolific career with another come November.
This marks the second time that Storer has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Storer previously earned national weekly honors on October 9, 2023.
NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Hannah Hartwell, Fort Lewis
Senior | Carlsbad, California
Perfect score? Not so fast.
Hannah Hartwell played spoiler at the 32nd annual Joe I. Vigil Open, besting the field in dominant fashion. The senior out of Fort Lewis posted 16:49.3 across 5k, breaking up the Adams State homecoming, as the reigning national champions finished two through six. Hartwell spent the morning on her own with a nearly 30-second gap as evidence. All the more impressive given that second place went to Tristian Spence, who was 11th place at the 2024 NCAA DII Championships.
In terms of the individual title this November, Hartwell is slated to be one of the favorites. She finished outside the top-five just once through four races last fall. This weekend proved at least one thing – she’s off to a hot start.
This marks the first time an athlete from Fort Lewis has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NCAA DIVISION III MEN – BJ Sorg, North Central (Ill.)
Junior | Plainfield, Illinois
BJ Sorg looks ready to lead the charge for North Central (Ill.).
The junior from Plainfield, Illinois, dominated at the NCC Invite this past weekend, cruising to an 8k victory in 24:26.10 — nearly 40 seconds ahead of the runner-up. That mark ranks as the second-fastest ever on the St. James Farm course, no small feat given North Central (Ill.)’s storied history on those grounds.
This is the eighth time in program history that an athlete from North Central (Ill.) has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Sorg joins three-time honorees John Crain and Dhruvil Patel, as well as Troy Kelleher in that regard.
NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Hannah Stephenson, Amherst
Sophomore | Farmington, Connecticut
The importance of the Little Three Championship is not lost on athletes from Amherst, Wesleyan (Conn.) and Williams. This year especially with all three teams ranked in the preseason top-30 of the NCAA DIII Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – and the Mammoths and Ephs both ranked in the top-ten.
Hannah Stephenson provided eighth-ranked Amherst with the ultimate low stick, winning the 4k race in 14:49.0, 19 seconds ahead of teammate Ani Balin. Stephenson didn’t compete at the meet last year, but got a taste of the rivalry at the NESCAC Championships in November.
This is the third time in program history that a female athlete from Amherst has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Stephenson joins 2022 honoree Mary Kate McGranahan and 2017 honoree Nicky Roberts in that regard.
NAIA MEN – Drew Hogan, Goshen (Ind.)
Junior | Goshen, Indiana
There was nothing but green grass in front of Drew Hogan.
The junior from Goshen, Indiana, rolled to victory at the Indiana Wesleyan-hosted Wildcat Twilight Invitational clocking 24:25.7. He edged Tyler Jenkins of Rio Grande (Ohio) by nearly five seconds and led his team to a fifth-place finish in a field that featured seven nationally-ranked programs from the preseason NAIA National Coaches’ Poll.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from Goshen (Ind.) has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NAIA WOMEN – Jaynie Halterman, Taylor (Ind.)
Sophomore | Thompson’s Station, Tennessee
Jaynie Halterman’s undefeated collegiate career continues.
Yes, we said “undefeated collegiate career,” not “season.”
The sophomore from Thompson’s Station, Tennessee, cruised to her 16th consecutive victory spanning cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field. She claimed the Wildcat Twilight Invitational title this past weekend in 20:41.2 for 6k, winning by exactly 23 seconds over a strong field. Halterman paced top-ranked Taylor (Ind.) to the team title with 35 points.
This is the fourth time in her career that Halterman has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Halterman previously earned national weekly honors three times in 2024: September 9, September 30, and October 14.
NJCAA DIVISION I MEN – Geofrey Ronoh, Iowa Western CC
Sophomore | Koibatek, Kenya
Geofrey Ronoh is back, and that’s good news for No. 1-ranked Iowa Western CC.
Ronoh led a 1-2 Reiver sweep at the Platte River Rumble Gold, covering the 6k course at Mahoney State Park in Ashland, Nebraska, in 17:56.3 with teammate Barnabas Ndiwa following in 17:59.0.
Ndiwa (4th) and Ronoh (5th) make up the nation’s top duo of returners from last year’s NJCAA DI Cross Country Championships, where Iowa Western was runner-up.
This is the seventh time that a male athlete from Iowa Western has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Ronoh earned this award three times last year in joining Nicholas Kiprotich (2021) and Sylvester Barus (twice in 2015) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Juliana Sakat, Iowa Western CC
Freshman | Greater Accra Region, Ghana
Juliana Sakat’s first collegiate cross country season has begun the way she ran in track & field last winter and spring – dominantly.
Sakat was an easy winner at the Platte River Rumble Gold, clocking 17:02.1 for the 5k tract at Mahoney State Park in Ashland, Nebraska, for a 19.5-second victory.
Sakat arrived on campus in January and won seven NJCAA individual track & field titles combining indoors and outdoors. She is undefeated in all distances against NJCAA competition.
This is the 14th time that a female athlete from Iowa Western has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Sakat joins Barbara Neiva (2024), Silvia Gradizzi (2023), Mercy Biwott (once in 2022, twice in 2021), Faith Linga (four times in 2020, three times in 2019) and Shanieke Watson (2016) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION II MEN – Nate Carmody, Lansing (Mich.) CC
Freshman | Haslett, Michigan
Nate Carmody is in a familiar place while leading No. 1-ranked Lansing (Mich.) CC.
Carmody was the leading JUCO runner at the Jeff Drenth Memorial for the second-straight year. This year he finished three places higher at 12th and was 26.8 seconds faster at 15:05.7 as the Stars shoot for a third-straight national title.
This year, Carmody hopes to be racing when championship season arrives as his individual campaign last year ended in mid-September.
This is the sixth time that a male athlete from Lansing has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week for cross country. Carmody joins Jesse Carson (2024), Logan Zahn (2024) and Michael Dennis (three times in both 2023) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Olivia Baker, Mesa (Ariz.) CC
Freshman | Flagstaff, Arizona
Olivia Baker has taken a leadership role at Mesa (Ariz.) CC – notable for a freshman on a reigning national championship team returning two top-15 scorers.
Baker was tops for the Thunderbirds at their Early Bird Open (19:10 for 5k) before being the leading NJCAA DII finisher at the Lori Fitzgerald Memorial, improving her seasonal best to 18:12.1 for 5k. She was the second JUCO finisher overall in a field that included NJCAA DI No. 3 New Mexico JC.
This is the fifth time that an athlete from Mesa has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Baker joins Carmella Baldwin (2023), Kate Brockman (twice in 2022) and Tanaeya Johnson (2021) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION III MEN – Nathan Ciarlette, Joliet (Ill.) JC
Sophomore | Joliet, Illinois
Watch out!
Nathan Ciarlette – the reigning NJCAA DIII cross country champ who followed up with three individual outdoor track & field titles in the spring – is ahead of last year’s pace.
Ciarlette started this cross country season by winning the St. Francis (Ill.) Saints Twilight Invitational by 13.0 seconds in 15:27.1 for 5k, then followed up as the leading JUCO finisher at the North Central (Ill.) Invitational in 25:31.0 for 8k.
Those times are much faster than he ran to open last year’s cross country campaign – by 42.1 seconds and 1:26.0, respectively.
This is the fourth time that a male athlete from Joliet has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Ciarlette joins Hunter Phillips (twice in 2021) and Julian Rosenbach (2020) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Sophia Mullins, Jefferson (Mo.)
Freshman | DeSoto, Missouri
Sophia Mullins is one of four freshmen on the Jefferson (Mo.) squad that has finished among the top-3 nationally the past two years.
And she’s a major reason why the Vikings are ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA DIII rankings.
Mullins was runner-up in the Webster Invitational, clocking 21:34.9 for 5k on a hilly tract, and followed up as the leading JUCO finisher in WashU’s Gabby Reuveni Invitational, where she lowered her seasonal best to 20:31.5 on the SIU Edwardsville course.
This is the first time that a female athlete from Jefferson has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.