USF's Mickelson Collects Third Men's Cross Country Honor of the Season

CHICAGO --- Placing among the top six percent of finishers at the challenging Live In Lou Classic on Saturday, University of St. Francis' Sam Mickelson (East Dubuque, Ill.) used that performance to gain his third Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week award for 2023.  The league office made the announcement Wednesday afternoon.

Mickelson's time of 25:21.3 was good enough for a 27th-place finish out of 433 runners in a meet that included competitors from four collegiate levels (NAIA, NCAA I, II and III).  It also was the graduate student's fastest 8K time of the year.

As a team, the NAIA No. 14-ranked Fighting Saints finished 17th out of 46 squads that competed.     

Other Nominees: Milos Pendic (Trinity Christian), Isaac Sytsma (Saint Xavier), Taylor Vallangeon (Olivet Nazarene).