MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – Junior Ceili McCabe of the West Virginia University Cross Country Team has been named the NCAA DI National Female Athlete of the Week, the United States Track and Cross Country Coaching Association has announced ( USTFCCCA).

The Vancouver, BC native led the Mountaineers with a solid first place finish at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational on Oct. 15 in Madison, Wisconsin. In addition to his first career national honor, McCabe was also ranked Big 12 Runner of the Week.

The five-foot-four long-distance runner finished the course in a 6 km time of 19: 57.4. She beat her previous time of 21: 40.5 of 2019 at the same event.

This is the first time since at least 2013 that an athlete from West Virginia has been named National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.

Earning his second Big 12 honor of the year, McCabe was named the Big 12 Runner of the Week after the fifth week of action.

McCabe is the fifth climber in program history to win the conference’s weekly honor. Charlotte wood was named Big 12 Runner of the Week in 2018, while Amy Cashin (2017), Jillian Forsey (2016) and Sarah Martinelli (2013) also received this honor.

McCabe is a member of the 2020 All-Big 12 Academic First Team and the 2019 Big 12 Women’s Newcomer of the Year. This is his first Big 12 Weekly Cross Country Prize.

Looking ahead, the Mountaineers are on leave this week. WVU begins its playoffs in Stillwater, Oklahoma at the Big 12 Championships on Friday, October 29, at OSU Cross Country Course. The race is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. ET.

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