PacWest Release
Phoenix, AZ – Despite not running their top two competitors at the 2010 Bronco Invitational, Academy of Art University men's cross country placed five Urban Knights on the Pacific West Conference Weekly Top 10 Honor Roll. Senior
Geoffrey Cheruiyot led the ART U pack Saturday and earned his first Runner of the Week selection for his efforts. The honors were announced by the PacWest Media Office in Phoenix, AZ, on Monday, Oct. 18, for races contested on Oct. 16.
As the top finisher for Academy of Art University,
Cheruiyot captured 113th place overall among countable runners.
Cheruiyot's time of 27:28 was his top mark on an 8k course this season and put him in front of runners from San Jose State and Saint Mary's. The Nairobi, Kenya native took 11 seconds off his previous time at the SF State Invitational on Oct. 8.
Two slots behind Cheruiyot, junior Mark Bretan posted a time of 27:36.4 for his second best result on an 8k course this year. Bretan finished in 115th place among countable runners and helped maintain the front portion of ART U's pack down the stretch. Bretan's run featured his best time in his previous three meets.
The third Urban Knights finisher was junior Joey Villasenor who continues to reduce his time on 8k courses this season. Villasenor turned in a 27:42.3 mark along with 117th place among countable opponents. This is the third consecutive meet in which the Olivehurst, CA native has improved upon his time, collectively knocking off over 1:30 in that span.
On Saturday, junior Shawn Daut returned from a hamstring injury that had kept him out of much of the season. In just his second race of 2010, he posted a time of 28:36 en route to a 122nd place finish at the Bronco Invite. Daut also crossed the line ahead of the fifth qualifier from Division I Pepperdine.
Helping the Urban Knights qualify in the Bronco Invite, freshman Zack Sainz finished the 8k course in 124th place among countable runners with a time of 30:38.5. Sainz also finished in front of one competitor from UCLA.
This is the first Runner of the Week honor for Cheruiyot in his career. In terms of Weekly Top 10 Honors, Bretan takes his third of 2010, Daut captures his second, and Villasenor as well as Sainz earn their first.
