SCHICKEL EARNS FIRST CCAC RUNNER OF THE WEEK HONOR, VALLANGEON GETS SECOND

CHICAGO, Ill. – The Olivet Nazarene University cross country teams swept this week's edition of the CCAC Runner of the Week awards, as announced by the league office Wednesday.

Recording her best finish of the year on Friday, Jacey Schickel (Lemont, Ill.) used that performance during the seven-day period between Oct. 3-9 to claim Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week accolades.

Schickel placed third overall in a field of 86 runners at the Bethel University (Ind.) Pilot Invitational. The senior ran the 5K event in 19:03.3 to top the Tiger contingent. As a team, Olivet Nazarene placed fifth out of ten schools competing.

Taylor Vallangeon (Columbus, Ohio) kept his perfect record intact for the 2022 season by claiming his third individual meet title in as many races on Friday.  That also netted the senior his second Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week award. 

Vallangeon dominated at the Bethel University (Ind.) Pilot Invitational, besting the rest of the competition by over one minute, running a 25:10.9. The next best runner recorded a time of 26:18.2 on the 8K course. 

A total of 100 individuals competed in the meet, which comprised ten teams.  Olivet Nazarene rode Vallangeon's performance to a third-place finish. 

Schickel and Vallangeon will continue their campaigns with races at the NAIA Great Lakes Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 22.

--ONU—

*Contact: Evan Wild, Sports Information Director, ewwild@olivet.edu