Cross Country

ACC Names Cross Country Performers of the Week

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – After the busiest weekend of the Atlantic Coast Conference cross country regular season, NC State’s Grace Hartman earned the ACC’s Women’s Performer of the Week, as well as earning USTFCCCA Division I Women’s National Athlete of the Week honors. Additionally, Wake Forest’s Rocky Hansen was named the Men’s Performer of the Week, and Florida State’s Rylee Blade was honored as the Women’s Freshman of the Week for the second time this season.

Men’s Performer of the Week – Rocky Hansen, Junior, Wake Forest (Hendersonville, North Carolina)
  • Posted a winning time of 22:44.4 at the Panorama Farms Invitational.
  • His effort helped lead the Demon Deacons to a third-place finish.
  • His time of 22:44.4 broke the Panorama Farms 8K course record.
 
Women’s Performer of the Week – Grace Hartman, Senior, NC State (Oakwood, Ohio)
  • Hartman finished first out of 220 runners at the Nuttycombe Invitational, one of the nation’s premier collegiate meets, with a time of 19:30.0.
  • Her accomplishment led the Wolfpack to their third team title of the season.
  • In addition to the ACC Women’s Performer of the Week, Hartman was named the USTFCCCA Division I Women’s National Athlete of the Week. This marks the seventh time in program history that a female athlete from NC State has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.

Women’s Freshman of the Week – Rylee Blade, Freshman, Florida State (Corona, California)
  • Blade closed out her first collegiate regular season with a top-20 finish, crossing the line 14th with a time of 19:53.0 at the Pre-National Meet in Columbia, Missouri.
  • Her finish led the Seminoles to a fifth-place team finish, their highest finish yet under head coach Cody Hasley.
 
2025 ACC Cross Country Men’s Performer of the Week
Sept. 2 – Nicholas Bendtsen, Grad., Virginia
Sept. 9 – Nathan Atchue, Fr., Virginia Tech
Sept. 16 – Justin Pretre, Sr., California
Sept. 23 – Daelen Ackley, Sr., Notre Dame
Sept. 30 – Gary Martin, Sr., Virginia
Oct. 7 – Elsingi Kipruto, Fr., Louisville
Oct. 14 – N/A
Oct. 21 – Rocky Hansen, Jr., Wake Forest
 
2025 ACC Cross Country Men’s Freshman of the Week
Sept. 2 – Wyatt Windham, Fr., Georgia Tech
Sept. 9 – N/A
Sept. 16 – Elsingi Kipruto, Fr., Louisville
Sept. 23 – Joe Barrett, Fr., North Carolina
Sept. 30 – N/A
Oct. 7 – Elsingi Kipruto, Fr., Louisville
Oct. 14 – N/A
Oct. 21 – N/A
 
2025 ACC Cross Country Women’s Performer of the Week
Sept. 2 – Stella Kermes, So., Virginia
Sept. 9 – Sophia Holgado, So., Virginia Tech
Sept. 16 – Silvia Jelelgo, So., Clemson
Sept. 23 – Hannah Gapes, Sr., NC State
Sept. 30 – Hanne Thomsen, Fr., Stanford
Oct. 7 – Hannah Gapes, Sr., NC State
Oct. 14 – N/A
Oct. 21 – Grace Hartman, Sr., NC State
 
2025 ACC Cross Country Women’s Freshman of the Week
Sept. 2 – Caitlin Thomas, Fr., Georgia Tech
Sept. 9 – N/A
Sept. 16 – Caitlin Thomas, Fr., Georgia Tech
Sept. 23 – N/A
Sept. 30 – Hanne Thomsen, Fr., Stanford
Oct. 7 – Rylee Blade, Fr., Florida State
Oct. 14 – N/A
Oct. 21 – Rylee Blade, Fr., Florida State