PASADENA, Calif. – Announced today by the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC), Melissa Skiba was named the Female Athlete of the Week between Oct. 28-Nov. 3 after running to the individual SCIAC cross country crown at the SCIAC Championships in Prado Park on Saturday.
Skiba achieved the honor by finishing almost 20 full seconds faster than the second place athlete, making her move around the mile marker and building a lead throughout the remainder of the 6K course. Crossing the line in 23:02.80, she led the Regals to a third place team finish in the process.
With the win, she accumulated the lowest two-meet total of two points, winning both the SCIAC Multi-Duals and Championships to be named the 2013 SCIAC Runner of the Year.
The senior who was named the 2013 West Region Track Athlete of the Year, the first in school history, joins Heather Worden as the second individual women’s XC champion to come out of Cal Lutheran.
Additionally, Skiba became a two-time SCIAC Athlete of the Week, also earing the honor the week of Oct. 14-20 after winning her first league race of the season.
This year, four CLU student-athletes have earned SCIAC AOW awards in five different weeks. Volleyball players Kylie McLogan and Hayley Tamagni and soccer standout Taylor Will each reeled in accolades once.
In two weeks Skiba will race at the NCAA Division III Women’s Cross Country West Regionals hosted by Pomona-Pitzer at 11:45 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16 in a quest for another NCAA Division III Women’s Cross Country Nationals appearance and All-American finish.
SCIAC Website: SCIAC Athlete of the Week
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