SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Mercer’s Kami Orrender and Western Carolina’s Travis Alfaro have been named Southern Conference Women’s and Men’s Runner of the Week, respectively, for competitions of October 3-4, the league office announced on Wednesday.

Orrender recorded her second straight fifth-place finish, this time at the Greater Louisville Cross Country Classic on Saturday. The junior recorded a time of 17:58.53 in the women’s 5K event in the blue group to lead the Bears.

Orrender receives the honor for the second times this season. The native of Crestwood, Kentucky also received the award on September 4 after winning a 4K in the season opener.

Alfaro finished fourth overall in the men’s 8K at the USC Upstate Invitational on Saturday. The senior recorded a season-best time of 25:16.68 to lead the Catamounts to a fourth-place team finish.

Alfaro, a native of Lincolnton, N.C., is the first Western Carolina men's cross country runner to earn the Runner of the Week honor since 2008.