SDSU’s Lusignan, IUPUI’s Zajac Named Cross Country Athletes of the Week
SDSU’s Lusignan, IUPUI’s Zajac Named Cross Country Athletes of the Week
ELMHURST, Ill. – South Dakota State's Trent Lusignan and IUPUI's Rachel Zajac were named The Summit League's Men's and Women's Cross Country Athletes of the Week for their performances Oct. 1-7.
MEN'S ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Trent Lusignan, South Dakota State
Jr. // Shakopee, Minn.
Lusignan captures his third career Athlete of the Week award and second-straight this season after winning the SDSU Classic and leading the Jackrabbits to a first-place team finish. The junior crossed the finish line with an 8k time of 24:54.20, winning the SDSU Classic for the second consecutive year.
Also nominated: Chris Rudolph, Fort Wayne; Joey Zielinski, IUPUI; Brett Kelly, North Dakota State; Mubarik Musa, South Dakota; Mark Holt, Western Illinois.
Previous honorees: 9/3 – Joel Reichow, South Dakota State; 9/10 – Sam Roudebush, IUPUI & Joel Reichow, South Dakota State; 9/17 – Mark Holt, Western Illinois; 9/24 – Joey Zielinski, IUPUI; 10/1 – Trent Lusignan, South Dakota State.
WOMEN'S ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Rachel Zajac, IUPUI
Sr. // St. John, Ind.
Zajac earns her fourth Athlete of the Week honor of the season after setting a school-record and league-best 5k time at the Notre Dame Invitational among a field of runners from one nationally ranked team No. 20 Butler and seven regionally ranked teams. The St. John, Ind., native finished 13th out of 212 runners with a time of 17:57.2, 28 seconds faster than her previous best. She became the first Jaguar in program history to post a 5k time under 18 minutes. As a team, IUPUI finished 16th, six places ahead of nationally ranked Butler. Zajac is tied for the fourth-most Athlete of the Week honors in a single season.
Also nominated: Julie Jeszenszky, IUPUI; Maddie McClellan, North Dakota State; Kristin Rogers, Omaha; Amber Eichkorn, South Dakota; Cheyanne Bowers, South Dakota State; Chelsea Lynes, Western Illinois.
Previous honorees: 9/3 – Rachel Zajac, IUPUI; 9/10 – Rachel Zajac, IUPUI; 9/17 – Chelsea Lynes, Western Illinois; 9/24 – Rachel Zajac, IUPUI; 10/1 – Maddie McClellan, North Dakota State.
ABOUT THE SUMMIT LEAGUE
In its fourth decade of Division I athletics, The Summit League offers 19 championship sports and has a combined enrollment of over 120,000 at eight institutions, including three located in top 60 U.S. metro populations and two land-grant universities. Member institutions include: Denver (University of Denver), Fort Wayne (Indiana University-Purdue University-Fort Wayne), IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis), North Dakota State University, Omaha (University of Nebraska Omaha), the University of South Dakota, South Dakota State University and Western Illinois University. Previously known as the Mid-Continent Conference, The Summit League rebranded in 2007 and has since produced eight NCAA Champions, 62 All-Americans and 50 Academic All-America selections.
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