University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass XC Duo Collects Weekly Honors
September 16, 2014 | Women's Cross Country
AMHERST, Mass. - UMass cross country senior Rachel Hilliard and junior Benjamin Thomas have been named co-UMass Athletes of the Week following their performances at the season opening Minuteman Invitational. Hilliard was tabbed the Atlantic 10 Women's Cross Country Performer of the week, as well. The duo will be recognized at this Wednesday's UMass Sports Luncheon, which will be held from 12-1:15 p.m. in the Football Performance Center at Alumni Stadium.
For those attending the Sports Luncheon, parking is available for free in Lot 10 adjacent the stadium. A buffet lunch will be served at the cost of $14 person. This week's guest speakers are football head coach Mark Whipple (with game film) and tennis head coach Judy Dixon.
Hilliard, a senior from Hookstown, Pa., finished fifth out of 125 competitors and first overall for the Minutewomen with a time of 17:12 (5K), to lead UMass to a third-place finish at the Minuteman Invitational. The Minutewomen finished behind only regionally-ranked #2 Boston College and #11 Connecticut.
Thomas' third-place finish at the Minuteman Invitational highlighted the 2014 season opener for the UMass men's cross country squad, as he crossed the finish line in 19:11.10, good for third out of a field of 89 runners in the 6K race, his first time as UMass' lead finisher in his career. As a team, the Minutemen finished fourth out of six squads with 67 points.