ELON, N.C. – Elon men’s cross country runner Luis Vargas was tabbed as the Southern Conference’s Men’s Runner of the Week as announced by the conference office on Wednesday, Sept. 18.
The Angier, N.C., native earned his second league ‘s career weekly honor after winning the 2013 Elon Invitational last Saturday, Sept. 14. Vargas ran a time of 24:19 in the 8K race – just three seconds shy of his own school-record – as he helped the Phoenix men win the championship at their home meet.
The individual accolade came just two weeks after Vargas and teammate Ben Perron were the top duo in the Phoenix’s season-opening meet at the Wake Forest Relays. The pair came in first with a time of 36:00 at the relay-style meet as the maroon and gold men finished as the runner-up overall.
Last year, Vargas became the first male runner to earn first team All-SoCon honors after recording the highest finish ever for a male in school history at the SoCon Championships. He also set the program marks in both the 8K and 10K races last season.
The Phoenix cross country programs will return to the course next week in Charlotte, N.C., for the Charlotte Cross Country Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 28.