BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- The Mississippi College men and women's cross country teams were recognized for its efforts this past weekend at the Missouri Southern Stampede.
Christian Balcer,
Jazmin Hernandez and
Josie Whipp each garnered Gulf South Conference Weekly Awards as announced by the conference on Tuesday, Sept. 21.
Jazmin Hernandez posted a school record in the 5K race to lead the Choctaws in the loaded field, clocking in with a time of 17:47.69 as she claimed 17th place. It is the second week in a row that Hernandez has been named a GSC Athlete of the Week. The Georgetown, Texas, product clocked a time of 18:10.9 last week in Florence, Ala., which was tops among four Division I programs and bested fellow conference members West Alabama, West Florida and Delta State University.
Teammate
Josie Whipp was also tabbed the top female freshman by the GSC for the second week in a row. Whipp compiled a time of 18:15.10, her career best, as she finished fifth in the race. The Baton Rouge, La., native surpassed her previous best 5K time of 18:41.1 set last weekend at the University of North Alabama Invitational. The Mississippi College women's cross country team finished 11th at the Missouri Southern State Stampede for the weekend.
Women's race field included four nationally-ranked Division II programs, including the likes of No. 12 Southwest Baptist, No. 22 Dallas Baptist, No. 29 Mississippi College, No. 30 Nebraska-Kearney.
On the men's side,
Christian Balcer was tabbed Freshman of the Week by the GSC, after posting a time of 25:11.58 at the Missouri Southern State Stampede for the weekend. Balcer's time of 25:11.58 placed him at 16th overall on the leaderboard, earning him freshman of the week honors. The men's race field included three nationally-ranked Division II programs in No. 6 Missouri Southern State, No. 26 Nebraska-Kearney, as well as the nationally ranked No. 28 Mississippi College Choctaws.
Mississippi College returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 25 for the Lake Charles Toyota Cowboy Stampede hosted by McNeese University.
