Eldridge Named Big 12 Runner of the Week

NORMAN, Okla. Oklahoma's Jessica Eldridge was selected as the Big 12 Female Cross Country Runner of the Week for meets through Sept. 18.

Eldridge, a sophomore from Broken Arrow, Okla., ran the fourth-fastest 5k time in the University of Oklahoma's history (16:41.96) to finish second at the Southern Stampede in Joplin, Mo., where the Sooners defeated the No. 18 Arkansas Razorbacks 78-79.

“Jessica is very deserving of this honor,” OU head coach Rodney Rothoff said. “She had a very good effort this past weekend.”

Eldridge's time is also a personal best and is the fastest 5k time recorded by a Big 12 runner this season.

“I'm very happy for her,” Rothoff continued. “Hopefully more recognition will be coming her way as she progresses this season.”

This is the second time Eldridge has won the honor. She also won runner of the week Oct. 7, 2003, for her eighth-place effort in the FinishLynx/Murray Keatinge Invitational.

Eldridge is the only second Sooner woman to have ever earned the weekly honor. Andrea DeLozier earned the award Sept. 23, 1998.

Iowa State's Grant Shadden won the men's weekly honor.

Shadden won the Midwest Collegiate Open at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside on Sept. 18, with a time of 24:53. The senior from Marshalltown, Iowa, led the Cyclones to a first-place finish.

Oklahoma will next travel to South Bend, Ind., for the Notre Dame Invitational on Friday, Oct. 1.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Eldridge Named Big 12 Runner of the Week

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