SPOKANE, Wash. - Northwest Nazarene University cross country runner Barak Watson has been selected as the Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's cross country Athlete-of-the-Week, as announced today by the conference office in Spokane, Wash.

Watson (Fr., Nampa, ID – Columbia) ran the second fastest 8,000 meter time in Northwest Nazarene school history and finished eighth among 198 runners in the Willamette Chuck Bowles Invitational at Salem.  His time of 24:32.05 was only 24 seconds behind winner Michael Wickman of Chico State who led the Wildcats to a five-point win over Boise State in the team race.  Watson, who only finished behind five Division I runners and two Chico athletes,  has now had four consecutive Top 10 finishes to start his collegiate career.

 

"Barak ran another great race this past weekend," Gall added.  "To finish in the top ten in such a quality field as a freshman shows he is learning to run with a lot of confidence and poise."