NCAA XC National Athletes of the Week (Feb. 3)

NEW ORLEANS – Cross country is just heating up!
Here are the National Athletes of the Week across all three NCAA divisions, as released on Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

• NCAA Division I Men – George Kusche, Nebraska
• NCAA Division I Women – Bethany Hasz, Minnesota
• NCAA Division II Men – Cas Kopmels, Mount Olive
• NCAA Division II Women – Lizzie Naval, Erskine
• NCAA Division III Men – Lorien Nightingale, LeTourneau
• NCAA Division III Women – Meghan Owens, Centre

Find out more about each of these runners by clicking their names or scrolling below.
National Athlete of the Week is an award selected and presented by the USTFCCCA Communications Staff at the beginning of each week to 12 collegiate cross country athletes, when applicable (male and female for each of the three NCAA divisions and three NJCAA divisions).
Nominations are open to the public. Coaches and sports information directors are encouraged to nominate their student-athletes; as are student-athletes, their families and friends, and fans of their programs. Nominated athletes are noticed before those athletes found through searching TFRRS.
The award seeks to highlight not only the very best times, marks and scores on a week-to-week basis, but also performances that were significant on the national landscape and/or the latest in a series of strong outings. Quality of competition, suspenseful finishes and other factors will also play a role in the decision.

NCAA DIVISION I MEN – George Kusche, Nebraska

Junior | Malelane, South Africa
Don’t look back.
That’s what George Kusche had to be thinking this past weekend as he made his way down the homestretch at the Big Ten Cross Country Championships in Shelbyville, Indiana.
Kusche, a junior from Malelane, South Africa, had broken away earlier in the race but knew the rest of the field was gaining on him as the race drew to a conclusion. Little did he know that it would be just one man – Jonathan Davis of Illinois – trying to take the individual title away from him.
An extra surge near the finish line propelled Kusche under the scaffolding as he was crowned individual champion in 24:01.2, just 0.6 seconds ahead of Davis. Kusche was the first Husker male athlete to win an individual title in meet history.
This is the first time since 2013 that a male athlete from Nebraska has been named National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Trevor Vidlak was the second ever honoree in NCAA Division I back on September 9, 2013.

NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Bethany Hasz, Minnesota

Redshirt Senior | Alexandria, Minnesota
Bethany Hasz was lock-step with at least one other athlete throughout most of the Big Ten Cross Country Championships this past weekend in Shelbyville, Indiana.
When it mattered most, though, Hasz broke through and snagged Minnesota’s second individual title in meet history. Hasz covered the 6K tract at the Blue River Cross Country Course in 20:13.2, a full two seconds ahead of runner-up Bailey Hertenstein of Indiana. Hertenstein had put some distance between herself and Hasz down the homestretch, but the Gopher never gave up and pulled out the win.
This is the first time in program history that a Minnesota athlete has been named National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.

NCAA DIVISION II MEN – Cas Kopmels, Mount Olive

Freshman | Leiden, Netherlands
Cas Kopmels started his collegiate career with a bang.
The freshman hailing from Leiden, Netherlands, took home top honors at the 2021 Conference Carolinas Spring Cross Country Championships. Kopmels navigated the 5K course in 15:32.4 for a 27.1 second victory over the next best finisher.
This is the second time in program history a male athlete from Mount Olive has been named National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Jereamy Hall was the first to earn the honor on October 16, 2017.

NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Lizzie Naval, Erskine

Sophomore | Summerville, South Carolina
Lizzie Naval made the most of her opportunity to compete on the cross country course.
After finishing in fourth a year ago, the sophomore from Summerville, South Carolina won her first individual title at the Conference Carolinas Cross Country Championships. Naval completed the 5K course in 19:58.3, finishing nearly 15 seconds ahead of second place to secure the victory at Frank Liske Park.
This is the first time in program history a female athlete from Erskine has been named National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.

NCAA DIVISION III MEN – Lorien Nightingale, LeTourneau

Senior | Njoro, Kenya
Lorien Nightingale kept pulling away this past weekend.
Nightingale took an early lead at the Concordia Invitational in Austin, Texas, and didn’t look back until he crossed the finish line. And when he did, he didn’t see anybody close as he won by 36 seconds in 26:22.1. That was a personal best over the 8K distance for the senior.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from LeTourneau has been named National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.

NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Meghan Owens, Centre

Sophomore | Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Centre College – more so, Meghan Owens – will be a force to reckon with.
Owens led a sweep of the top-5 places at the Rhodes College Cross Country Invitational this past weekend in Memphis, Tennessee. She covered the 6K tract in 22:36.4, 15 seconds ahead of teammate Amelia Lorrey. That was a personal best over the 6K distance for the Owens.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from Centre has been named National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.