SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – South Dakota State sophomore Leah Hansen and South Dakota junior Merga Gemeda were the top #SummitXC runners at the esteemed Roy Griak Invitational and were named the TicketSmarter Summit League Cross Country Athletes of the Week, league officials announced Tuesday.
 
Hansen ran a personal-best 6,000-meter time, while Gemeda ran the fourth-fastest time by a Coyote in the Division I era on the Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights, Minn.

MEN’S ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Merga Gemeda, South Dakota
Jr. | Sioux City, Iowa

• Top #SummitXC finisher at the prestigious Roy Griak Invitational
• Placed 37^th in the competitive 225-person field, completing the 8,000-meter course in 25:24.4
• This is the fifth career Summit League weekly accolade for Gemeda

Also nominated: Daniel Burkhalter (South Dakota State); Cody Jones (Oral Roberts)
 
WOMEN’S ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Leah Hansen, South Dakota State
So. | Willmar, Minn.

• Placed 15^th overall in the highly competitive Roy Griak Invitational, leading the Jackrabbits to a 10^th-place finish out of 21 teams
• Finished the 6,000-meter course in a personal-best time of 21:31.2, which was 34 seconds better than the next #SummitXC student-athlete
• This is the second career Summit League weekly award for Hansen

Also nominated: Ella Byers (South Dakota); Megan Lundstrom (Oral Roberts); Kelby Anderson (North Dakota State)
 
2021 Cross Country Athletes of the Week
September 7
M: Merga Gemeda, South Dakota
W: Abby Ripperda, South Dakota
 
September 14
M: Ben Olson, South Dakota State
W: Leah Hansen, South Dakota State
 
September 21
M: Merga Gemeda, South Dakota
W: Ella Byers, South Dakota
 
September 28
M: Merga Gemeda, South Dakota
W: Leah Hansen, South Dakota State
 
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