M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week (October 30)
NEW ORLEANS – The postseason is alive and well!
Here are our M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week in collegiate cross country for October 30.
- NCAA Division I Men – Parker Wolfe, North Carolina
- NCAA Division I Women – Parker Valby, Florida
- NCAA Division II Men – Micah Kipruto, Virginia Union
- NCAA Division II Women – Irene Jeptoo, Fayetteville State
- NCAA Division III Men – Christian Patzka, UW-Whitewater
- NCAA Division III Women – Grace Richardson, NYU
- NJCAA Division I Men – Kgadi Monyebodi, Colby (Kan.) CC
- NJCAA Division I Women – Alliyah Molina, Trinidad State (Colo.)
- NJCAA Division II Men – Michael Dennis, Lansing (Mich.) CC
- NJCAA Division II Women – Olivia Ippel, Lake Michigan CC
- NJCAA Division III Men – Bradley Ahrens, Mineral Area (Mo.) CC
- NJCAA Division III Women – Lilly Alberts, 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 – Parker Wolfe, North Carolina
Junior | Denver, Colorado
North Carolina hadn’t won the men’s team title at the ACC Cross Country Championships since 1985. The Tar Heels hadn’t seen an individual top the podium since 1997, either.
Parker Wolfe helped change both this past weekend in Tallahassee, Florida.
Wolfe galloped to top individual honors at Apalachee Regional Park, covering the 8k tract in 23:03.1. He, eventual runner-up Paul O’Donnell of Syracuse and David Mullarkey of Florida State were all within 0.4 seconds of each other at the 7k split before Wolfe pulled away over the final 1k to win by five seconds. Wolfe was the runner-up at this meet in 2022.
Behind Wolfe, the Tar Heels put three other athletes in the top-10 and knocked off No. 4 Syracuse for the team title, 49-65. Three other top-30 programs were in the field, too.
This is the first time in program history that a male athlete from North Carolina has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Parker Valby, Florida
Junior | Tampa, Florida
If you come at the Queen, you best not miss.
Parker Valby defended her individual title at the SEC Cross Country Championships in a big way and helped guide No. 7 Florida to its first team crown since 2012. Valby covered the 6k tract in 18:37.5 and the Gators took down several other ranked programs in Columbia, South Carolina.
It was a two-woman race by the 3k split, as Valby and Doris Lemngole of Alabama broke away from the pack. Lemngole tried to put some distance between herself and Valby – but the Florida star had other ideas. Valby dropped the proverbial hammer over the final 2k and gapped Lemngole by 14.1 seconds between 4k and 5k and 33.8 seconds at the finish.
This is the second time this season that Valby has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week. Valby previously earned national weekly honors following her dominant victory at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational two weeks ago.
NCAA DIVISION II MEN – Micah Kipruto, Virginia Union
Senior | Lessos, Kenya
Micah Kipruto picked a great time to run his best race of the season.
Surrounded by competitors from the CIAA, the senior emerged triumphant at the CIAA Cross Country Championships. He stopped the clock at 25:35.8, trouncing the next individual by a whopping 44 seconds, and averaged nearly 10 seconds faster per mile. This marks the third time that Kipruto has topped the podium this season, taking home wins at the VUU Panther Invitational and the VUU Fall XC Opener.
Although the Virginia Union product couldn’t lead his team to victory, the Panthers improved tremendously upon their 2022 campaign. Last fall they fell to eighth place in a crowded field.
This is the second time in program history that an athlete from Virginia Union has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Kipruto joins Luis Nieves who laid claim to the title on October 31, 2016.
NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Irene Jeptoo, Fayetteville State
Freshman | Eldoret, Kenya
There’s no better feeling than breaking away from the pack to take the individual title and then turning around to see your teammates not far behind.
Irene Jeptoo had the pleasure of experiencing that at the CIAA Cross Country Championships this past weekend. She completed the race in 18:33.5, 18 seconds ahead of her teammate and training partner Daisy Jerop. On the back of her fierce performance, Fayetteville State brought home the trophy, conquering Winston Salem St. by 48 points.
Barring the Friday Night Lights Elon XC Opener, which featured eight Division I squads, she has yet to post a finish worse than fourth place. The Broncos will look to Jeptoo to be their anchor at the Atlantic Region Championships on November 4, where they will have their hands full.
This is the first time in program history that a female athlete from Fayetteville State has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Jeptoo joins Hillary Toroitich who laid claim to men’s honors on October 31, 2022.
NCAA DIVISION III MEN – Christian Patzka, UW-Whitewater
Junior | Black Earth, Wisconsin
Christian Patzka asserted himself with another strong win.
Patzka captured top individual honors at the WIAC Cross Country Championships in 24:20.5, beating rival Ethan Gregg of UW-La Crosse by 3.8 seconds. That duo was nearly three seconds ahead of the chase pack at the 5k split and lockstep at the 6.54k split – some 12.4 seconds up on the rest – before Patzka made a decisive move and never looked back.
When left to his own devices, Patzka is undefeated this season. Patzka won notable individual titles at both the Augustana Interregional and the Blugold Invitational against opponents that will for sure be in the lead pack come November 18 at the NCAA DIII Championships.
This is the third time this season that Patzka has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week. Patzka previously earned national weekly honors on October 2 and October 16.
NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Grace Richardson, NYU
Grad Student | Kilkenny, Ireland
Grace Richardson keeps getting better – and so does NYU.
Richardson won the individual title at the UAA Cross Country Championships this past weekend in 21:34.5 – beating former M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week Evelyn Battleson-Gunkel of UChicago in the process – and led the fifth-ranked Violets to a monumental upset of the top-ranked Maroons. That was the first team title at the meet in program history for NYU.
Prior to her victory in Hunting Valley, Ohio, Richarson finished third at both the Jasper Fall XC Invitational and the Paul Short Run, as well as runner-up at the Connecticut College Invitational two weeks ago, where she ran a massive 6k PR of 20:54.7.
This is the first time in program history that a female athlete from NYU has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NJCAA DIVISION I MEN – Kgadi Monyebodi, Colby (Kan.) CC
Sophomore | Bochum, South Africa
It was a clash of the titans when two undefeated runners met at the Region VI Championships.
Kgadi Monyebodi maintained his perfect record this fall, winning for the fourth time in four races. His time of 23:35.4 for 8k gave him victory by 29.9 seconds over previously undefeated Adem Bouldjadj of Butler (Kan.) CC. It was a good day all-around for the Trojans, who won the team crown as well.
This is the ninth time that a male athlete from Colby has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Monyebodi (who also won this honor earlier in the year) joins Sanele Masondo (three times in 2022) and Wesley Banguria (four times in 2019) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Alliyah Molina, Trinidad State (Colo.)
Sophomore | Alamosa, Colorado
Alliyah Molina’s victory at the Region IX wasn’t a total surprise, even if it was her first win of the year.
Molina continued her unbeaten streak against JUCO competition, winning the 5k race in 18:05.2 for a winning margin of 1:27.2. In two of her other races this fall she has been competitive with scoring runners from nearby Adams State, currently ranked No. 2 in NCAA Division II.
This is the second time that a female athlete from Trinidad State has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Molina joins Benadine Chelimo (2018) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION II MEN – Michael Dennis, Lansing (Mich.) CC
Sophomore | St. Johns, Michigan
Michael Dennis was one place better than he was last year at the Region 12 Championships, which meant he went home with a victory after being runner-up in 2022.
Dennis clocked 25:04.7 to win the 8k race by 20.6 seconds as the Stars also took home the team trophy with 21 points. It was Dennis’ second win of the year, although he has beaten every JUCO runner he has faced in his six races this fall.
This is third time that a male athlete from Lansing has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week for cross country. This is also the third time that Dennis has earned the award this year.
NJCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Olivia Ippel, Lake Michigan
Freshman | St. Joseph, Michigan
Olivia Ippel’s 2023 cross country season remained perfect.
Ippel won the Region 12 Championships by 51.9 seconds, clocking 18:29.3 for the 5k course. She has won all five races this year, with an average winning margin of 39.9 seconds.
This is the fourth time that an athlete from Lake Michigan has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Ippel owns the other three honors from earlier this year.
NJCAA DIVISION III MEN – Bradley Ahrens, Mineral Area (Mo.) CC
Sophomore | Imperial, Missouri
Bradley Ahrens didn’t just defeat the NJCAA Division III runners at the Region 16 Championships – he beat the DI and DII competition as well.
Ahrens won the 8k race in 25:44.4, beating his nearest pursuer by 31.4 seconds. It was the fifth time in five starts this year that Ahrens has finished as the leading JUCO DII runner.
This is the ninth time that a male athlete from Mineral Area has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Ahrens earned the honor once earlier this year and twice last year, joining Kyle Vinyard (twice in 2021) and Donovan Denslow (three times in 2020) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Lilly Alberts, Harper (Ill.)
Sophomore | Richmond, Illinois
Lilly Alberts was at her best, and that meant no one was close at the Region 4 Championships.
Alberts won the 5k race in 18:52.5 for her fifth win of the year and sixth time she has been the leading collegian. This time her margin of victory was 1:53.1.
This is the 15th time that a female athlete from Harper has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Alberts won it three times earlier this year and three times in 2022, joining Rachel Temple (2018), Misbah Baig (twice in 2017) and Ali Gutt (five times in 2016, once in 2015) in that regard.