UIW’s Cortez, Castaneda Named Cross Country Athletes of the Week
Southland Conference
FRISCO, Texas – UIW student-athletes Garett Cortez and Rainy Castaneda were named Cross Country Athletes of the Week presented by UniversalCoin.com, the league announced Tuesday.
Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week – Garett Cortez, UIW
Cortez ran his first ever 8K race with a time of 24:25, four seconds behind the champion, to finish second overall at the UIW Fall Invitational in Live Oak, Texas. The Schertz, Texas (Steele HS), native led the Cardinals to a third-place team finish out of five teams. This is the third time that Cortez has led the UIW men, making him the top freshman cross country runner in the program’s history.
Honorable Mention: Oscar Garcia, Houston Baptist.
Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week – Rainy Castaneda, UIW
In the final regular season meet of her career, Castaneda ran away from the competition as she led the Cardinals to a victory at the 10th Annual UIW Fall Invitational. The Laredo, Texas (United South), native covered the 6K course in 21:30 and won by 19 seconds. The Cardinals won the Division I team title over A&M-Corpus Christi, UT Rio Grande Valley, and Texas State. Overall, Castaneda was the top finisher among 13 teams of all different levels.
Honorable Mention: Gabriela Busquet, Houston Baptist.
Each school’s sports information director nominates and votes for the players of the week, though is not permitted to vote for his or her own player. To receive honorable mention, a player must receive votes from 25 percent of the Southland sports information directors
.