RICHMOND, Va. – Senior Luis Vargas of the Elon University men’s cross country team was selected as the Colonial Athletic Association Men’s Runner of the Week the league office announced on Tuesday, Sept. 16.
Vargas becomes the first Elon student-athlete to receive CAA weekly honors in the Phoenix’s inaugural year in the league. The Angier, N.C., native made his 2014 season debut last Saturday, Sept. 13, in the Phoenix’s home meet, the Elon Invitational. Vargas won the men’s 8K race with a time of 25:19, helping the maroon and gold men to its third straight team championship in its annual home event.
The first-place finish was the second for Vargas in his career. Vargas also won the men’s 8K race at last year’s Elon Invitational, becoming the first Elon male runner to win a race in eight years.
The Phoenix returns to the course this Friday, Sept. 19, to compete at the Adidas Cross Country Challenge, hosted by NC State. The men’s 5K race begins at 5:30 p.m. followed by the women’s 5K run at 6 p.m. on the course at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.