Elon’s Vargas Tabbed SoCon Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Month

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Elon junior Luis Vargas was named the Southern Conference Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Month for September as announced by the league office on Wednesday, Oct. 9.

This is the first league Player of the Month accolade for Vargas as the Angier, N.C., native had a great start to his junior campaign last month. Vargas became the first Elon male in eight years to earn a first-place finish as he helped the Phoenix men capture the team title at its home meet, the Elon Invitational, on Sept. 14. Vargas ran a time of 24:19 in the 8K race – just three seconds shy of his own school-record – and was selected as the SoCon’s Male Runner of the Week for his performance on Sept. 18.

Vargas also came in sixth out of 269 competitors at the prestigious Greater Louisville Classic this past Saturday, Oct. 5. Vargas crossed the line with a time of 24:38.44 collected his second conference weekly honor of the year on Wednesday, Oct. 9, and third time overall in his career.

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.

Vargas and both the men’s and women’s programs will be back in action the weekend of Oct. 18-19. Most of the teams will travel to Boone, N.C., for the Blue Ridge Open of Friday, Oct. 18. The following day, a few select members will race in the NCAA Pre-Nationals meet in Terra Haute, Ind.