2019 Michigan Women's Cross Country Awards and Honors
10/1/2019 3:30:00 PM | Women's Cross Country
• Fall Academic All-Big Ten Selections Announced (12/11/19)
Ericka VanderLende (Oct. 1)
Big Ten Athlete of the Week: For the third time this season, first-year collegian Ericka VanderLende has been named the Big Ten Athlete of the Week, this time for her runaway victory at the Ohio State Buckeye Preview on Saturday (Sep. 28). VanderLende also was named the USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week on Monday (Sep. 30). The Rockford High School graduate claimed the race by more than 15 seconds as she covered six kilometers (3.73 miles) in 20:17.85 in her first career race at the distance. Through just three races in her young career, she already stands tied for third on Michigan's all-time list of most career Big Ten Athlete of the Week honors with Alyson Kohlmeier, Danielle Tauro and Erin Webster. She trails only former NCAA runner-up Erin Finn (nine) and former NCAA champion Katie McGregor (four) on the list, and she joins Finn and Kohlmeier as the only women in program history to have earned three such awards in a single season. » Big Ten Release
Ericka VanderLende (Sept. 30)
USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week -- Following a decisive victory at the Ohio State Buckeye Preview on Saturday (Sept. 28), first-year collegian Ericka VanderLende became the first women's cross country runner in school history to be named National Athlete of the Week by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Running in her first career six-kilometer (3.73-mile) cross country race, VanderLende clocked 20:17.85 on the Ohio State University Golf Club course to win by more than 15 seconds over a field that included defending Big Ten outdoor 5,000-meter champ Abby Nichols, indoor mile national champion Julia Rizk and former Big Ten Athlete of the Week Rebecca Craddock. After coming through halfway slightly ahead of Nichols and Craddock, VanderLende pulled away in the second half of the race for her runaway victory. » USTFCCCA Release
Ericka VanderLende (Sept. 25)
Big Ten Athlete of the Week -- True first-year collegian Ericka VanderLende once more showed she is one of the NCAA's top newcomers as she posted a strong fourth-place effort in a challenging field at the Indiana State John McNichols Invitational on Saturday (Sep. 21). In a performance that earned her a second Big Ten Athlete of the Week nod in 2019, the Rockford, Michigan, native VanderLende clocked 16:40.1 over five kilometers (3.11 miles) for the fastest time ever run by a Michigan woman on the 5K circuit at LaVern Gibson Championship Course. Her time was nearly 15 seconds superior to the previous course record for 5K. » Big Ten Release
Ericka VanderLende (Sept. 5)
Big Ten Co-Athlete of the Week -- After just one race in her young collegiate career, true freshman Ericka VanderLende has been named the Big Ten Co-Athlete of the Week. VanderLende, who was one of the fastest high schoolers in American history during her days at Rockford, did not miss a beat in her collegiate debut as she won the Michigan Open last Friday (Aug. 30). She covered the five-kilometer (3.11-mile) circuit at Hudson Mills Metropark in Dexter, Michigan, in 16:57.3, good for the second-fastest time at the Michigan Open during the Hudson Mills Metropark era (2010-present). VanderLende is the first Michigan woman to earn Big Ten Athlete of the Week honors as a true freshman. She shared the award with Rebecca Craddock of Illinois. » Big Ten Release
Players Mentioned
