IRVINE, Calif. – For the third straight week, Hawai'i Pacific University's Jona Bodirsky was named the PacWest Conference Men's Cross Country Freshman of the Week. The weekly awards were announced Tuesday by the league office.
 
Bodirsky, of Muhlhausen, Germany/Leibniz Gymnasium Ostringen, placed 24th at the Cal State San Marcos Cougar Challenge last Friday. He ran the 8-kilometer race in 25 minutes, 27.8 seconds, the second fastest freshman in the field. He was the Sharks second runner across the line, helping HPU to a fifth place finish.
 
It's the third consecutive award for Bodirsky who is establishing himself as the top frosh and one of the top runners in the PacWest.
 
Joining Bodirsky with the PacWest weekly awards are Academy of Art's Rabah Houali as Men's Runner of the Week, Azusa Pacific's Sammy Bockoven as Women's Runner of the Week and Fresno Pacific's Yorkabel Gebrehiwot as Women's Freshman of the Week.
 
The Sharks run again on Saturday in the Chaminade Invitational. The races start at 7 a.m. in Kapiolani Park.