University of Pittsburgh Athletics
ECAC Rookie of the Week Goes To Vlasic
9/18/2014 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
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CENTERVILLE, Mass. – For the second straight week, the Eastern College Athletic Conference awarded a Pitt women’s cross country freshman its Division I Rookie of the Week award, this time it was rookie Melanie Vlasic.
On Saturday, Vlasic raced with the “A” squad for the first time this year at the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational. Her time of 22:07 on the 6K course was good for 24th place in a field of 131 runners. Vlasic was the both the third Panthers competitor and third true freshmen to complete the race.
This was the third time in the short season that a Pitt runner has been individually recognized. After season-opening sweeps by both the men’s and women’s programs, senior Cullen Davis was the Co-ACC men’s cross country Performer of the Week while freshman Beth Shenck was the ECAC’s women’s cross country Division I Co-Rookie of the Week.
Not only are individual’s turning heads, but so are both teams, having earned program-best regional rankings in the USTFCCCA polls this past week. In the Mid-Atlantic region, the women are currently ranked seventh and the men are 13th.
Pitt looks to continue rising in the rankings with another strong performance this weekend at nearby Latrobe, Pa. for the St. Vincent Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 20.
