Men's Cross Country 9/13/2010 3:47:11 PM

Three Knights Earn PacWest Honors Including Maru’s Second Runner of the Week

PacWest Press Release

Phoenix, AZ – Junior Amos Maru and the Academy of Art University men's cross country team have done it again. Maru was selected as the Pacific West Conference Runner of the Week for the second week in a row after an impressive finish at the Sacramento State Hornet Jamboree. Also for the second consecutive week, juniors Daveson Marindich and Mark Bretan each garnered places on the PacWest Weekly Top 10 Honor Roll. The honors were announced by the PacWest Media Office in Phoenix, AZ, on Monday, Sept. 13, for races contested on Sept. 11.

picked up right where he left off last week with a 3rd place result this past Saturday in Sacramento. While the four-mile course was shorter compared to the common 8k, Maru still dominated the competition with a 20:13 time that was just 20 seconds behind the winner. The Nandi Hills, Kenya native accomplished all this despite running against a predominantly Division I lineup that included opponents from UC Berkeley, UC Davis, and USF.

, Marindich helped lead the entire race for the opening mile and eventually captured 11th place at the meet. The 20:30 time for Marindich put him in front of the second qualifier from Cal and all finishers from USF, who served as the host of last week's season-opening invitational.

“I'm proud of Daveson because we've been trying to get him to race from the front and not be afraid to lead,” Assistant Coach Anne Ricketts said. “He and Amos stuck to their race plans and led for the first mile. We're working on fitness with Daveson so he can keep it up.”

. The Novato, California native, who posted a 22:35 mark, continues to turn in valuable times for an Academy of Art University team that has been battling injuries thus far.

“Mark has been awesome this season,” Coach Ricketts said. “He has improved so much and he's really stepping up in a time that we need them.

This is the fourth Runner of the Week honor for Maru in his career and his second of 2010. Marindich is a now a two-time Weekly Top 10 Honor Roll selection this season and has earned six in his career while it is the second honor for Bretan in his career.