SPARTANBURG, SC – Furman sophomore Tessa Walter and senior Chris Knight were named SoCon Cross Country Athletes of the Week for races held between October 7-13.
 
Walter (Colorado Springs, CO) finished 56^th in one of the toughest races of the fall – the 2026 Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational presented by Under Armour in Madison, WI. Her time of 20:42.2 (6K) paced the Paladins, who finished 22^nd as a team in a field that featured 15 teams ranked in the top 25 nationally. The award is Walter’s third so far this season.
 
Knight (Signal Mountain, TN) ran a time of 23:19.7 (8K) to pace Furman in the men’s race at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational presented by Under Armour, finishing in 36^th position. The race, also featuring one of the most talented fields of the season, saw 17 teams ranked in the top 25 compete in Madison.
 
The Paladins will be back in action on October 17 at the Upstate Challenge in Spartanburg, SC, before heading to the 2026 SoCon Cross Country Championships on October 31 at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Tryon, NC.
 
2026-27 SoCon Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Sep 9 – Mackenzie Armstrong, So., ETSU (Wheaton, IL)
Sep 16 – Tessa Walter, So., Furman (Colorado Springs, CO)
Sep 23 – Nikki Harris, Gr., Mercer (Ocala, FL)
Sep 30 – Tessa Walter, So. Furman (Colorado Springs, CO)
Oct 7 – Lakin Hailey, Fr., Tennessee Tech (Rockvale, TN)
Oct 13 – Tessa Walter, So., Furman (Colorado Springs, CO)
 
2026-27 SoCon Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Sep 9 – Will Poelker, So., Mercer (St. Louis, MO)
Sep 16 – Chris Knight, Sr., Furman (Signal Mountain, TN)
Sep 23 – Garrett Hawkins, So., ETSU (Knoxville, TN)
Sep 30 – Chris Knight, Sr., Furman (Signal Mountain, TN)
Oct 7 – Jack Martin, Sr., Chattanooga (Charlotte, TN)
Oct 13 – Chris Knight, Sr., Furman (Signal Mountain, TN)