Oct. 2, 2012
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Two Kentucky runners were named Southeastern Conference Cross Country Athletes of the Week the league office announced on Tuesday.
Luis Orta and Cally Macumber garnered the honors after both produced high finishes at one of the most competitive meets in the nation, the Greater Louisville Cross Country Classic, over the weekend.
Macumber was named Women’s Runner of the Week after she finished second individually with a 5,000 meter time of 16:55.14. That mark currently stands as the best 5K time in the SEC so far this season.
The senior is off to a great start to the season as she has now finished inside the top two at each of the three meets the Wildcats have competed in this campaign. Macumber already boasts an individual victory at the Virginia/Panorama Farms Invitational two weeks ago.
The senior came in ahead of Washington’s Katie Flood in Louisville, who is the defending Pacific-12 Conference cross country champion and a top-10 finisher at the 2011 NCAA Championships.
The Wildcats placed eighth as a team at the Greater Louisville Classic and were the only team not ranked nationally among the meet’s top-eight.
Orta earned Co-Men’s Runner of the Week for his 12th-place time of 24:06.96 over 8K on Saturday. He earned the same award three times last season.
It was the third-consecutive top-20 performance for Orta this year and his ninth-consecutive top-25 finish dating back the 2011 season opener.
The former First Team All-SEC selection lowered his previous best 8K time of the season by over 30 seconds in leading the Wildcat men to a 12th-place team finish.
Orta shares the weekly award with Henry Lelei of Texas A&M.
The Wildcats return to the same course they raced on for the Greater Louisville Classic, E.P. “Tom” Sawyer Park, on Oct. 13 for Pre-Nationals before that site hosts the NCAA Championships on Nov. 17.
