Nielson Runs To USU Athlete of the Week Honor

Nielson Runs To USU Athlete of the Week Honor

Aggie cross country runner finished 10th at the Mountain Region Championships.

Utah State cross country runner Mike Nielson was named the Utah State Athlete of the Week for his performance at the NCAA Mountain Region Championships on Saturday. The weekly honor is voted on by a state media panel.

Nielson, a senior from Bellevue, Wash., finished 10th at the regional meet and qualified for the NCAA Championships as an individual. He covered the 10,000-meter course in 31:47.4 en route to earning all-region honors.

Nielson has had an outstanding season, leading Utah State in each of the four races he has competed in this year. He won the Idaho State Invitational, placed eighth at the Minnesota Griak Invitational, was 28th at the NCAA Pre-Nationals, as well as 10th at the regional meet.

He is the first cross country runner to earn USU's weekly award.

The Aggies finished sixth at the regional meet. Nielson and women's runnerAshley Johnson, will compete at the NCAA Championships at Cedar Falls, Iowa on Nov. 24.