Oct. 30, 2002
Bowling Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University cross country athlete Bonita Paul (So., Capetown, South Africa) was named Sun Belt Conference Performer of the Week on Tuesday (Oct. 29) for her efforts at the Pre NCAA meet in Terre Haute, Ind. on Oct. 19.
Paul ran a personal best 21:12 over the 6,000-meter course to finish 29th out of 254 competitors in the women's white race. That time also put her at the top of the SBC for women on a 6k course, six seconds better than the league's second-best time held by Leah Thorvilson of Arkansas-Little Rock.
Western Kentucky athletes are also at the top of the SBC in two other categories. Enda Grandfield (Jr., Kerry, Ireland) leads all others over 8,000-meters this year with a 24:22 and Cara Nichols (So., Bowling Green, Ky.) has the top 5k time of the season, followed closely by teammates Paul and Olga Cronin (Sr., Cork, Ireland).
Paul is the third Lady Topper to receive Performer of the Week honors from the Sun Belt this season. Cronin garnered the award on Sept. 24 for her winning time at the Old Timers Classic in Bowling Green, Ky., while Nichols earned her's on Oct. 15 for second place finish at the North Carolina Cross Country Invitational.
The WKU men also have their share of weekly honors this year, as Grandfield and Daniel Roberts (So., Monticello, Ky.) have each received the award one time.
The Western runners took this past weekend off as they prepare for the 2002 Sun Belt Cross Country Championships on Monday, Nov. 4 in Denton, Texas.
- WKU -
