Hochstetler Named BAA Athlete of the Week, HM for Conference Weekly Honors

NEWBERG, Ore. - A third-place finish in Pacific University’s Boxer Rebellion women’s 6K race on Oct. 15 has earned George Fox’s Courtney Hochstetler the Bruin Athletic Association Women’s Athlete of the Week award for Oct. 10-16, as well as honorable mention for the Northwest Conference Women’s Cross Country Student-Athlete of the Week.

Hochstetler, a freshman from Salem, Ore., ran the best race of her young college career despite wet conditions on the Sunny Grove Golf Course in Forest Grove, Ore.  She posted a time of 23:36.20, third overall and for team scoring behind Emily Thomas of Lewis & Clark (22:59.50) and Emilie Gilbert of Whitman (23:25.10).  Her mark was slightly off her previous best of 23:33.84, which she ran while leading the Bruins in her first college meet, the Sundodger Invitational hosted by the University of Washington on Sept. 17.  As a team, the Bruins finished fifth out of five teams at the Boxer Rebellion with 108 points, only two behind host Pacific.

Hochstetler is the second cross country runner to earn the BAA women’s athlete award this fall, the other being Kate Freiheit for the week of Sept. 26-Oct. 2 for her victory in the Pacific Dual Meet /Bear Fete Invitational at Champoeg State Heritage Area in St. Paul, Ore., on Oct. 1.

The George Fox Athlete of the Week Award for both men and women is presented throughout the Bruin sports seasons by the Bruin Athletic Association, whose mission is to provide George Fox student-athletes with an outstanding athletic and academic experience and to strengthen the overall competitiveness of the Bruin athletics program.  For more information about the organization or to become a member, visit the Bruin Athletic Association website. 

2011-12 Bruin Athletic Association Women’s Athletes of the Week

Aug. 29-Sept. 4 - Patti Reeves (Volleyball)

Sept. 5-11 - Melanie Gaither (Soccer)

Sept. 12-18 - Kelsey Morrison (Golf)

Sept. 19-25 - Megan McGrew (Golf)

Sept. 26-Oct. 2 - Kate Freiheit (Cross Country)

Oct. 3-9 - Stephanie Kerr (Volleyball)

Oct. 10-16 - Courtney Hochstetler (Cross Country)

NEXT: Sat., Oct. 29, 10 a.m. - Northwest Conference Championships

The Bruins are off this weekend, gearing up for the Northwest Conference Championships on Saturday, Oct. 29, at the Willamette Mission State Park near Brooks, Ore.  Linfield is the host for this year’s NWC 8K race for the men and 6K title race for the women.  The first race is set to begin at 10:00 a.m.