Elon’s Vargas Receives Second Monthly Accolade in Men’s Cross Country

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Elon University men’s cross country runner Luis Vargas was selected as Southern Conference Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Month for October, the league office announced on Wednesday, Nov. 6.

This is the second league monthly honor for Vargas this season, as the junior was also rewarded on Oct. 9, as the Men’s Runner of the Month for September. The Angier, N.C., native finished in the top-10 in a pair of prestigious national meets and earned his second SoCon Male Runner of the Week accolade this past month.

Vargas finished sixth out of 269 competitors at the Greater Louisville Classic on Oct. 5, with a time of 24:38.44. He was named the SoCon’s Male Runner of the Week on Oct. 9, for the second time this season and third overall for his career. At the NCAA Pre-Nationals meet on Oct. 19, Vargas was second in the men’s white 8K race and ran a time of 24:30.11, finishing between a pair of NCAA All-Americans from outdoor track and field.

This past Saturday, Nov. 2, at the 2013 Southern Conference Cross Country Championships, Vargas recorded the highest finish ever for an Elon male after crossing the line third with a time of 24:52.92 in the men’s 8K run. He earned first team All-SoCon accolades for the second straight season.

Elon has two meets left on its schedule with the NC State Three Stripe Invitational this Saturday, Nov. 9, and the NCAA Southeast Regionals on Nov. 15, in Charlottesville, Va.