PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly cross country honors for the week ending on September 30.
Male Athlete of the Week
Aaron Bienenfeld * Jr. * Cincinnati
Bienenfeld becomes just the second Bearcat (male or female) to earn an American cross country weekly accolade. Participating in his second-career cross country meet, the junior posted a second-straight top-10 finish, taking ninth place at the Greater Louisville Classic, which featured a field of 252 athletes. Bienenfeld clocked a time of 23:56.8 in the 8k race, lowering his personal record by 1:04.4. The race was run at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park, which hosted the 2012, 2015 and 2017 NCAA Cross Country Championships. The meet featured a tough field, including runners from Kentucky, which received votes in the latest USTFCCCA national poll.
Female Athlete of the Week
Hannah Miller * Jr. * SMU
Miller picks up her third weekly conference award after pacing her squad to a top-three finish in a 29-team field at the Greater Louisville Classic. Miller captured fourth place in a field of 229 runners to lead the Mustangs with a time of 16:43.9. Her mark is the fourth-fastest 5K time in SMU history. The race featured a strong field, including No. 20 Michigan, Kentucky, Auburn, Louisville, Mississippi State and Marquette. Miller is the 2017 American cross country champion.