Women’s XC Runner of the Week
Elka Machan, Ball State
Sophomore, Coldwater, Mich./Coldwater
Sophomore Elka Machan picked up right where she left off at the end of the 2020 season, leading the Ball State cross country team to a second-place finish at the Butler Twilight. Machan placed 4th overall (third among scored runners) in the 70-runner field, clocking in at 17:30.5.
Men’s XC Runner of the Week
Solomon Costa, Eastern Michigan
Senior, Gahanna, Ohio/Lincoln
Senior Solomon Costa (Gahanna, Ohio-Lincoln) led the Eagles to a first-place team finish at the Mel Brodt Open 5K race on Friday, Sept. 3, in Bowling Green, Ohio. The veteran harrier crossed the finish line in 15:01.4 with a 4:55-mile pace while EMU earned a perfect score of 15, going 1-6 to secure the victory. Furthermore, Costa's placement was the highest among all male Mid-American Conference competitors last week.
Other Nominees
Riley Jones, Buffalo
Senior, Holland, N.Y. / Holland
Senior Riley Jones put herself in contention for the lead from the gun, running a strong race and a personal best-time for the 5k cross country distance of 18:07.9. Jones’ third place finish is a very strong start to the season with only one MAC runner in front of her.
Emily Paupore , Central Michigan
Sophomore, Negaunee, Mich./Negaunee
Sophomore Emily Paupore was the first Central Michigan runner to cross the finish line at its host race, the annual Jeff Drenth Memorial. Racing head-to-head against Michigan State, the All-MAC honoree placed third with a time of 18:15.3.
Esme Davies, Eastern Michigan
Sophomore, Lake District, England/Queen Elizabeth Grammar School
Sophomore Esme Davies (Lake District, England-Queen Elizabeth Grammar School) produced a fourth-place finish in 17:51.1 at the Mel Brodt Open on Friday, Sept. 3, in Bowling Green, Ohio. Davies helped EMU to a third-place finish with 53 points, while her 17:51.1 time was a personal best.
Ava Nuttall, Miami
Sophomore, Rochester, Minn./Century
Finished just three seconds behind the leader at the Indiana open 5k at 18:05.13.
Alex Hislop, Buffalo
Junior, Halfmoon, N.Y. / Shenendehowa
Junior Alex Hislop ran a very strong race for the Bulls placing ninth overall at the 53rd Tommy Evans Invite, and first for the Bulls in the four-mile race with a time of 20:16.1. Hislop set the pace for his teammates through the early running closed down the gap to the seventh and eighth place finishers that had opened up in the first-two miles of the race. This is his first cross country race in two years, and a strong start for the young runner.
Katerina Shuble, Bowling Green
Sr. Laporte, IN/Laporte
Katerina Shuble deserves to be nominated for MAC Women's XC Athlete of the Week due to her strong individual performance at the Mel Brodt Collegiate Invite. She shaved 11 seconds off her record 5k time, coming in second place as part of a group of five runners that finished largely above the rest of the field. Her performance should be considered as a nomination for athlete of the week.
Sophia Hoersten, Ohio
Sophomore, Hilliard, Ohio
Hoersten finished second for the Bobcats and contributed to their overall first place win.
Joe Farley, Kent State
Sophomore, Petoskey, Mich./Petoskey
Joe Farley opened the 2021 cross country season with a fourth-place finish at the Tommy Evans Invitational. Farley crossed the finish line of the 4-mile course in 19:50.4, which was the fastest time among Division I runners.
AJ Haffa, Bowling Green
Jr., Painesville, OH/Riverside
AJ Haffa showed the most impressive performance for Bowling Green this week. He set a new personal best in the 5k and was the first Bowling Green runner to cross the finish line for the second straight Mel Brodt Invite. This makes him worthy of a nomination for athlete of the week.
Josh Park, Ohio
Graduate Student, Amherst, Ohio
Park finished in 1st place and clocked in over 25 seconds before the next finisher.
Adam Rzentkowski, Central Michigan
Sophomore, Rosholt, Wis./Rosholt
Competing head-to-head against Michigan State, sophomore Adam Rzentkowski led Central Michigan's contingent by placing second at the Jeff Drenth Memorial, posting a time of 15:13.8, a 3.03/K pace.
Obsaa Feda, Miami
Junior, Silver Springs, Md./Northwood
Led the Redhawks in the opening meet. Finishing with a time of 25:26.34.
