STARKVILLE, Miss. – After bringing home a pair of first place finishes from the Memphis Twilight, two Mississippi State cross country runners have received accolades for their performances on a conference and national level.
After an impressive first-place finish on Saturday in Memphis, Tenn., senior Damian Roszko has been announced as the National Athlete of the Week presented by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for Division I men. The honor marks the first time in program history that a Bulldog runner has received such an honor.
"I am very proud of this honor, and also very satisfied that the hard work that I am putting in at training gives results," Roszko said.
Roszko received his first ever medalist honors in the collegiate ranks this weekend after posting a time of 20:02.56. This led his team to tie for first place with SEC opponent Ole Miss.
"Damian put together a good race that led the way for the rest of the team," MSU coach Houston Franks said. "He ran a smart race and was very patient. He stayed in the lead and in the end he just took control. We are really pleased with the way he won."
The Poland native ended his junior season with the Bulldogs with a 12th place finish in the NCAA Championships with a time of 30:26.34, earning his team a seventh place finish overall.
Roszko is an interdisciplinary studies major with a minor in kinesiology.
Rhianwedd Price was chosen as the SEC's Cross Country Women's Runner Athlete of the
Week after breaking her personal best in the Memphis Twilight on Saturday.
Price's weekly honor is the first for a Bulldog runner since Nick Perkins took home freshman honors for the men in 2010. She stands as the fourth overall runner in MSU women's cross country history to claim the weekly award and the first since Zita Magloire claimed athlete of the week honors in 2004.
"I feel so happy, shocked and just so thankful," Price said. "I really didn't even think about ever getting it, so it was a lovely surprise."
Price got medalist honors this weekend with a time of 17:05.67 in the 5K race, helping lead her squad to a first-place win overall.
"Rhianwedd had a great race," Franks said "We're really excited for her. Any time you're athlete of the week in this conference, it is a significant achievement."
The Llandrindod Wells, U.K., native is in her sophomore year at MSU. She is majoring in animal and dairy science at MSU.
The Bulldogs return to action on Sept. 13 in Nashville at the Vanderbilt Classic.
