The SoCon Announces Cross Country Athletes of the Week

SPARTANBURG, SC – Mercer graduate student Nikki Harris and ETSU sophomore Garrett Hawkins were named SoCon Cross Country Athletes of the Week for races held between September 16-22.

Harris (Ocala, FL) ran a time of 17:13.7 to finish 19^th overall at the 2026 Southern Showcase (5K) in Huntsville, AL. She was the top SoCon finisher in a loaded field, leading the Bears to a fourth-place finish in the team standings – just off the pace of Auburn and ahead of Mississippi State.

Harris averaged 5:32.7 per mile in the race.

Hawkins (Knoxville, TN) finished fourth individually at the 2026 Hokie Invitational (8K) with a time of 24:42.9 – less than two seconds off the pace of Virginia Tech’s Will Fadden. Hawkins averaged 4:58.3 per mile and led the Bucs to a second-place team finish behind host Virginia Tech.

ETSU junior Hayden Waleski (8^th) also posted a top-10 finish to help power the Bucs’ team effort.

Also Nominated (W): Deena Ludtke (ETSU), Lakin Hailey (Tennessee Tech), Hailey Meyers (UNCG)

Also Nominated (M): Khalid Abdullahi (UNCG), Jaleb Saunders (Western Carolina)

2026-27 SoCon Women’s Cross Country Runner 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)

2026-27 SoCon Men’s Cross Country Runner 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)