Runners of the Week - No. 1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -Evans Kirwa of Embry-Riddle (Fla.) has been named NAIA National Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Week and Azusa Pacific’s (Calif.) Lauren Jimison has been tabbed NAIA National Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week, the national office announced Wednesday. Kirwa and Jimison are the first honorees of the 2011 season and were selected based on their performances from Sept. 5 - 11. They were chosen out of a pool of conference/independent/unaffiliated group runners of the week selections.

Kirwa captured his second title of his junior campaign with an 8K time of 25:04.45 at the University of South Florida Bulls Invitational on Sept. 10. He finished 50 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher from NCAA Division I Miami (Fla.). Powered behind the Eldoret, Kenya, native’s efforts, the No. 20 Eagles placed third as a team behind NCAA Division I programs Florida and Miami.

Jimison posted a 17:20.04 5K time to take home top-honors at the ASICS/Concordia (Calif.) Invitational on Sept. 10. The senior from El Dorado Hills, Calif., crossed the finish line nine seconds ahead of the runner-up from NCAA Division I Cal Poly. The field of 192 runners featured multiple NCAA Division I programs and the No. 2 Cougars took home second-place as a team with 59 points.

The next Runners of the Week announcement will be on Sept. 21.

Men’s Nominees: Adam Hofmeister, Brescia (Ky.); Landon Hamilton, Cumberlands (Ky.); Philiph Tonui, Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.); Mitchell Dale, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.); Ramiro Garcia, Texas Wesleyan; Cesar Mireles, Rocky Mountain (Mont.); Eliud Ng'etich, Shorter (Ga.); Austin Jacobs, Evangel (Mo.); Colton McNinch, Southwestern (Kan.); Andrew Rowland, Point Park (Pa.); Brian Meyer, Ashford (Iowa); Kwame Jackson, Xavier (La.); Tim Boes, Madonna (Mich.); Austin Ellis, Milligan (Tenn.); Ben Foubert, Concordia (Ore.); Colin Morrissey, Concordia (Neb.).

Women’s Nominees: Jasmine Pulliam, Brescia (Ky.); Nicole Griesbaum, Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.); Obsie Birru, Grand View (Iowa); Jordan Arnold, Friends (Kan.); Rachael Hart, Rocky Mountain (Mont.); Sarah Massey, Shorter (Ga.); Kristen Ostrem, Evangel (Mo.); Ashley Goodsell, Point Park (Pa.); Zahri Jackson, Xavier (La.); Sharon Ronoh, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.); Brittany Hayden, Madonna (Mich.); Allison Steinbeck, Taylor (Ind.); Ellie Staker, Embry-Riddle (Fla.); Gillian Giffen, Milligan (Tenn.); Lauren Versweyveld, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.); Jacqueline Hallam, Oklahoma Christian; Gina Paletta, Concordia (Ore.); Allie Antrim, Oklahoma Wesleyan; Sarah Kortze, Concordia (Neb.).

2011 Composite Award Winners (Men’s; Women’s)
Week 1: Evans Kirwa, Embry-Riddle (Fla.); Lauren Jimison, Azusa Pacific (Calif.)