CHENEY, Wash. – For the first time in his career, Noah Hasselblad has been named the Men's Cross Country Athlete of the Week by the Big Sky Conference. This accolade is also the first for his team this season.

"Noah made a commitment after this last track season to put in the work this summer to make that next jump as a runner," said head coach Sam Read. "First week of practice you could tell he stuck to that commitment and came back transformed! He had a great race Friday but great is now just the new expected standard for him. I'm very excited to watch him finish off his senior XC campaign as it's going to be a special one."

"Really happy with how I raced but there is definitely more to come," said Hasselblad. "Don't sleep on the Eags!"

Hasselblad had a standout performance at the Cougar Classic over the weekend, finishing ninth individually with an 8k time of 24:09.8. Notably, he was the top Big Sky athlete to cross the finish line in a competitive field of 14 teams, helping his team secure a fifth-place overall finish.

"It is great to see the hard work pay off for this young man, said Director of Track and Field / Cross Country Erin Tucker. "He has been steady and a constant force for us. Noah is the perfect example of what doing it the right way looks. This is his first, but I am sure it will not be his last. I am proud of him! Go Eags!"

The cross-country teams will be back in action when Eastern will split its time at the Gans Creek Invite on Friday, Sept. 27 in Columbia, Mo., and at the Whitman Invite on Saturday, Sept. 28 in Walla Walla, Wash.