IRVINE, Calif. – Junior
Kaia Schmidt has been named the Big West Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week the conference office announced Tuesday afternoon.
Â
In her season debut, Schmidt ran a nearly eight-second personal-record 20:38.4 to finish seventh in a 6K field of 220 athletes at the UC Riverside Invitational (Sept. 27). Her time ranks second in the Big West this season and moved her up one spot to No. 8 in program history.
Â
Schmidt was the only top-10 finisher among the five Big West schools competing in the 6K race at UCR's Agricultural Operations Course.
Â
This is Schmidt's first career weekly award.
Â
UC Irvine will be back in action at the Bill Dellinger Invitational on Friday, Oct. 10.