Sept. 18, 2007

Sept. 18: C-USA CROSS COUNTRY NOTEBOOK

IRVING, Texas - UTEP's Patrick Mutai and Alex Becker of Tulsa captured this week's C-USA's Cross Country Athletes of the Week honors. Both clocked winning times, while leading their teams to invitational titles.

MALE
Patrick Mutai, UTEP
Jr., Eldoret, Kenya
Mutai captured the Lori Fitzgerald individual title this past weekend. He clocked a 7K time of 23:20.01, outkicking three teammates down the stretch. UTEP placed four runners in the top five for a near-perfect score of 16 for a first-place team finish. This is Mutai's fifth career cross country athlete of the week honor.

FEMALE
Alex Becker, Tulsa
Jr., Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Becker won the women's 5K race in a personal-best time of 16:33.00 at the Missouri Southern Stampede in Joplin, Mo. She was first out of 301 participants and bettered her previous career mark by more than a minute. Tulsa placed four runners in the top 11 for the team title. This is Becker's first cross country athlete of the week honor.

2007 C-USA CROSS COUNTRY ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
September 5
Male - Eric Harris, Tulsa
Female - Elizabeth Ambrus, UAB

September 11
Male - Stephen Samoei, UTEP
Female - Aubrey Phillips, Tulane

September 18
Male - Patrick Mutai, UTEP
Female - Alex Becker, Tulsa