PacWest Weekly Awards (Sept. 4)

IRVINE, Calif. – Immediately joining some of the best Academy of Art women's cross country performances of all time, junior Grace Southern excelled in her and the team's first race of the season, the USF Invitational, earning her the honor of Pacific West Conference Runner of the Week. The award is for meets held from Aug. 28 - Sept. 3.

Out in the front pack of the more than 140-runner field competing on Sept. 1, Southern's first cross country race in an ART U uniform was extremely memorable. She delivered a time of 21:50.8, making her the top NCAA Division II finisher while slotting her at 26th overall. Eighth in program history, she was also the first Urban Knight to run sub-22:00 at Golden Gate Park.

This is the first PacWest weekly honor for Southern in her career.