NORFOLK, Va., Sept. 15, 2021—North Carolina Central senior Juan Rodriguez and Delaware State freshman Devin Smith were named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Men’s Cross Country Co-Runners of the Week, presented by Coca-Cola, the conference office announced today. Norfolk State junior Fridah Koech was named Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week.
 
Rodriguez (Sr., Winston-Salem, N.C.) won the men’s 5K race at the UNC Wilmington Beach Bash this past weekend, turning in a 16:59.95. In the process, he helped the Eagles win their first cross country team title since 2014.
 
Smith (Fr., Waldorf, Md.) helped Delaware State win the season-opening Sting Invitational, running an 18:13.0 on the 5.451K course. The Hornets won the event in a field that included conference teams Coppin State, Maryland Eastern Shore and Morgan State.
 
Koech (Jr., Kericho, Kenya) turned in the MEAC’s fastest 5K time of the weekend, running a 20:03.2 to come in sixth in the George Mason Invitational.
 
Other Top Performers
Amadou Ba (Coppin State) ran an 18:29.3 to finish third in the Delaware State Sting Invitational.
 
Kamillah Monroque (Coppin State) ran a 22:58.8 to finish third in the Delaware State Sting Invitational.
 
Maria Garcia Rabago (Delaware State) was second in the Delaware State Sting Invitational with a 22:50.0.
 
Rachel Field (Morgan State) ran a 22:23.5 over the 5.3K course to win the Delaware State Sting Invitational.
 
Jackson Waller (Morgan State) came in second in the Delaware State Sting Invitational after running an 18:15.1.
 
Meshack Kipchirchir (Norfolk State) was sixth at the George Mason Invitational, completing the 8K course in 27:54.9.
 
Victoria Swepson (North Carolina Central) came in third at the UNC Wilmington Beach Bash with a 20:28.39.