ACC Announces Cross Country Performers of the Week

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – North Carolina’s Brynn Brown was named the ACC Female Performer of the Week for Cross Country, while Syracuse’s Sam Lawler earned the honor on the men’s side. North Carolina’s Jacob Laney and Louisville’s Geoffrey Kirwa split the league’s Male Freshman of the Week honors, while Louisville’s Nancy Chepleting was named the ACC Female Freshman of the Week.
 
Brown earned ACC Female Performer of the Week honors after winning the Virginia Invitational, running the 5K in 16:32.2. The Denton, Texas, native shattered her previous personal best, clocking in at 20.5 seconds faster. The senior helped the Tar Heels win the meet, scoring 23 points as a team to beat Virginia, Norfolk State and Alabama-Huntsville. Brown was also named the Division I National Athlete of the Week by USTFCCCA on Monday.
 
Syracuse’s Lawler was named the ACC Male Performer of the Week after winning the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational hosted by Penn State. The redshirt junior ran the 5.2-mile race in 24:55.2, leading the Orange to a team victory in the event. Syracuse’s 31 points as a team was 39 points better than second-place finisher, Georgetown.
 
Laney earned ACC Male Co-Freshman of the Week honors, alongside Louisville’s Kirwa. Laney made his collegiate debut in the 8K, finishing 12th at the Virginia Invitational. He helped the Tar Heels finish with 31 points to win the Virginia Invitational on a tiebreaker with the host Cavaliers.
 
Louisville’s Kirwa earned his first career weekly honor after finishing 16th at the Southern Showcase in his collegiate debut. The Kapsabet, Kenya, native posted an 8K time of 24:23.6 in his first taste of collegiate competition, helping Louisville to a sixth-place finish.
 
Chepleting was named the ACC Female Freshman Performer of the Week after beginning her collegiate career with a fifth-place finish at the Southern Showcase. The Eldoret, Kenya, native finished the 5K course in a time of 16:50.5. She was the second Cardinal to cross the finish line, helping Louisville to a runner-up finish with 68 total points.
 
Women’s Performer of the Week
Sept. 3 – Sophia Kennedy, Stanford
Sept. 10 – Silvia Jelelgo, Clemson
Sept. 17 – Brynn Brown, North Carolina
 
Men’s Performer of the Week
Sept. 3 – Justin Wachtel, Virginia
Sept. 10 – Nicholas…