The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USFTCCCA) along with M-F Athletic announced the M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week for the week of October 20. Puma Brady Eagar was named the NJCAA Division II Male Athlete of the Week for the third time this season after after his 33rd place finish at the Highlander Invitational at University of California Riverside on Saturday, October 18.
As published by the USTFCCCA and M-F Athletic
NEW ORLEANS, LA -
Racing above division seems to embolden Brady Eagar, who did so again at UC Riverside's Highlander Invitational.
Eagar was the top NJCAA DII runner in the Invitational race, clocking 24:24.4 for 33rd place on the 8k course on the UCR Agricultural Operations Course.
It's the third time in three races this season that Eagar has topped all NJCAA DII runners he's lined up against, following the Cal State San Marcos Cougar Challenge in September and the McDonnell Memorial race at the Chile Pepper Festival earlier this month.
This is the sixth time that a male student-athlete from Paradise Valley has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Eagar was twice honored earlier this year in joining Jackson Bland (twice in 2024) and Gilbert Olivas (2022) in that regard.
Congratulations Brady!
National Athlete of the Week is an award selected and presented by the USTFCCCA Communications Staff at the beginning of each week to 14 collegiate cross country athletes, when applicable (male and female for each of the three NCAA divisions, the NAIA and the NJCAA).
Nominations are open to the public. Coaches and sports information directors are encouraged to nominate their student-athletes; as are student-athletes, their families and friends, and fans of their programs. Nominated athletes are noticed before those athletes found through searching TFRRS.
The award seeks to highlight not only the very best times, marks and scores on a week-to-week basis, but also performances that were significant on the national landscape and/or the latest in a series of strong outings. Quality of competition, suspenseful finishes and other factors will also play a role in the decision.
