IRVINE, Calif. – This week’s PacWest Men’s Cross Country Runners of the Week are Valentin Pepiot (Academy of Art) and Chris Goertzen (Fresno Pacific). The awards are based on races Sept. 7-13.
 
RUNNER OF THE WEEK
Valentin Pepiot (ARTU)
Sr., Besançon, France
 
Pepiot finished fourth at the Ash Creek Invitational, hosted by Western Oregon. He crossed the finish line in the 6.3k course in 18:15.2, just one tenth of a second behind the third place finisher. He battled a contingent of five Chico State runners around him. Academy of Art placed fifth as a team.
 
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Chris Goertzen
Fr., Fresno, Calif./Clovis North
 
Goertzen was FPU’s top-finisher at the Ash Creek Invitational. He came in 37^th place in his first collegiate race with a time of 19:42.0. FPU finished eighth overall as a team.