Andrews Earns Athlete of the Week Honor

COLORADO SPRINGS -- After a great performance in last weekend’s Bob Firman Invitational in Eagle, Idaho, BYU sophomore Katy Andrews has been named the Mountain West Conference Female Cross Country Athlete of the Week.

The Encinitas, Calif., native came in first place in a field of 74 runners with an impressive 5K time of 17:59.34, a new Eagle Island State Park record. Her mark helped the Cougars to their second victory of the season and lowest point tally thus far in the 2009 campaign.

“I felt really good after the race,” Andrews said. “I was pleased with our team’s strength and unity we had during the race. It feels great to have success individually and with my team.”

The MWC honor is a first for Andrews, who earned her second individual victory of the season and her young BYU career.

With about 600 meters left in the race, Andrews put on a final surge of energy to overcome a Boise State runner on the down side of a hill and kept the lead en route to the win.

“It’s a well-deserved honor for Katy,” said BYU women’s cross country head coach Patrick Shane. “It was a great race on her part and her confidence will only get higher with the win. She used good tactics to overcome her competition and break away at the end. I’m happy for her.”

Air Force junior Justin Tyner won the MWC Male Athlete of the Week for his performance in the Roy Griak Invitational in Minnesota.

The Cougars have won four MWC Athlete of the Week honors so far this season. Andrews’ honor is the second for the women’s team as Cecily Lemmon-Lew received it a few weeks ago after the UC Riverside Invitational.

MWC Cross Country Athletes of the Week
Date:      Men                             Women
9/18   Miles Batty, So., BYU             Ellie Rastall, So., CSU
9/15   No Selection                      No Selection
9/22   Miles Batty, So., BYU             Cecily Lemmon-Lew, Jr., BYU
9/29   Justin Tyner, Jr., Air Force      Katy Andrews, So., BYU