HOUSTON, Texas --  Elijah Emerson of University of St. Thomas, a sophomore from Katy, Texas, has been selected the SCAC Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week for meets ran Saturday, October 3rd. It is the third time this season he has earned the honor.

Emerson was the Celts' front-runner at the 38th Annual Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival in Fayetteville, Arkansas, one of the most competitive stages on the national cross country calendar. Lining up in the McDonnell Memorial 8K against a deep field that included NCAA Division I, Division II, and Division III programs, the sophomore ran with confidence and composure from start to finish.

Emerson crossed the line in 24:56.7 to place 24th overall, and he did so as the top NCAA Division III finisher in the entire race. Outpacing every other Division III runner in a field of that size and caliber is a major accomplishment, and it underscored just how far he has come since the start of the season.

His performance also lifted the Celts as a team. St. Thomas finished 13th out of 26 scoring teams and earned the top team finish among all NCAA Division III programs at the meet.

With his third Runner of the Week nod of the year, Emerson continues to establish himself as one of the SCAC's premier distance runners as the Celts move deeper into the season.