NCAA XC National Athletes of the Week (Jan. 27)

NEW ORLEANS – Spring cross country is here.
You better believe we’re handing out some virtual hardware.
Here are those athletes who were named National Athletes of the Week on Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

• NCAA Division I Men – Camren Todd, Utah State
• NCAA Division I Women – Summer Allen, Weber State
• NCAA Division II Men – Christian Arenivar, Oklahoma Baptist
• NCAA Division II Women – Emma Downing, Oklahoma Baptist
• NCAA Division III Men – Noah Dennis, Southwestern
• NCAA Division III Women – Caeli Taylor, Texas Lutheran

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 – Camren Todd, Utah State

Freshman | Kaysville, Utah
Camren Todd couldn’t have asked for a better debut this past weekend.
Todd, a freshman from Kaysville, Utah, won the individual title at the Dixie State Invitational this past weekend in 23:40.5. It was a five-second win for him in his first race with the Aggies.
Probably more importantly for Todd, he helped Utah State earn the team title.
Todd is the first Utah State athlete to earn National Athlete of the Week honors in cross country since 2017, when Dillon Maggard took home the award on October 2.

NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Summer Allen, Weber State

Graduate Student | Orem, Utah
Welcome to the new normal, Summer Allen.
Well, hopefully for just this spring.
Over the course of two weeks, Allen competed indoors for Weber State and then took her talents to the cross country course, where she won the Dixie State Invitational this past weekend by 19 seconds. Allen covered the 6K tract at the Sand Hollow Golf Course in 20:24.1.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from Weber State has been named National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.

NCAA DIVISION II MEN – Christian Arenivar, Oklahoma Baptist

Freshman | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Christian Arenivar started his collegiate career on a high note.
The freshman from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, won the Oklahoma Baptist Cross Country Invitational, traversing the 6.4K course in 20:54.2. He edged out second place by 3.2 seconds to earn his first win.
This is the first time in program history a male athlete from Oklahoma Baptist was named National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.

NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Emma Downing, Oklahoma Baptist

Junior | Yukon, Oklahoma
Emma Downing notched her first collegiate win on the grass circuit.
The junior from Yukon, Oklahoma, trekked the 3.2K course in 11:34.5 to win the Oklahoma Baptist Cross Country Invitational. She finished 5.8 seconds ahead of second place to earn the victory.
This is the first time in program history a female athlete from Oklahoma Baptist was named National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.

NCAA DIVISION III MEN – Noah Dennis, Southwestern

Sophomore | Austin, Texas
Noah Dennis won going away this past weekend.
Dennis, a sophomore from Austin, Texas, competed at the UST Celt Invitational and earned the individual title by a staggering 39 seconds. He covered the 4-mile tract in 22:09.1.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from Southwestern has been named National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.

NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Caeli Taylor, Texas Lutheran

Freshman | Tilden, Texas
Caeli Taylor made the most of her big debut.
Taylor, a freshman from Tilden, Texas, earned the individual title at the UST Celt Invitational this past weekend when she covered the 5K tract in 20:19.1. It turned out to be a 13-second win for Taylor, who was running in her first collegiate cross country race.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from Texas Lutheran has been named National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.