RICHMOND, Va. – Senior Luis Vargas and junior Elyse Bierut of the Elon University men’s and women’s cross country teams were selected as the Colonial Athletic Association Men’s and Women’s Runners of the Week, respectively, as announced by the league on Tuesday, Sept. 23.
This is the second consecutive week that the Phoenix has claimed a CAA Runner of the Week honor. Last week, Vargas became the first Elon student-athlete to receive a weekly award from the conference after being named the Men’s Runner of the Week on Tuesday, Sept. 16.
Vargas earned his fourth overall career Runner of the Week accolade after the Angier, N.C., native won his second consecutive race of the year at the Adidas XC Challenge last Friday, Sept. 19. Vargas set a new course record in the men’s 5K race with his time of 14:29, breaking the previous mark set by former NC State All-American Ryan Hill.
Bierut set a new school record in the women’s 5K with a time of 17:25 at the Adidas XC Challenge and finished fourth overall. The Rocky River, Ohio, native broke the previous program mark by five seconds and beat her former personal-best by over 25 seconds as she helped the Phoenix women to a runner-up standing at the meet. This is the first career weekly award for Bierut.
The Phoenix returns back on the course next week, Oct. 3, at the Notre Dame Invitational.