2021 Cross Country Runners of the Week

  • Frank Csorba, Lynchburg, Jr.
    October 19, 2021
    Csorba, a junior from Boydton, Va., picks up his second weekly award of the season after leading Lynchburg to a second place showing in a strong field at the Inter-Regional Border Battle hosted by Rowan University (N.J.). Csorba won the eight-kilometer championship race and improve his ODAC second-best 8K time to 24:42.7. He used a 4:58.2 per-mile average pace to cross the finish 6.9-seconds before Nick Andrews from team champion SUNY Geneseo. Csorba and Andrews were the only two runners in the 285-person field to crack 25 minutes. The Hornets accumulated just 90 points, joining Geneseo (39) as the only two schools with less than 100 points of the 33 scoring teams. Lynchburg is currently the second ranked team in the South Region and 20th nationally by the USTFCCCA.
  • Stephanie Burnett, Lynchburg, Gr.
    October 19, 2021
    Burnett, a graduate student from Midlothian, Va., earns her second ODAC weekly award of the season following a strong showing at the Inter-Regional Border Battle hosted by Rowan University (N.J.). Burnett improved upon her previous season-best six-kilometer time by two seconds, posting a time of 22:48.0 to further her grip on the top time in the conference. She used a 6:06.9 per-mile pace to finish 17th overall out of 275 runners. Lynchburg chimed in fifth out of 35 competing programs with 291 points. Lynchburg is currently ranked second in the South Region and 29th nationally by the USTFCCCA.
  • Nate Warden, Guilford, Fy.
    October 12, 2021
    Warden, a first-year from Yadkinville, N.C., paced the Quakers' efforts at the Royals XC Challenge hosted by Queens University at McAlpine Park in Charlotte, N.C. Warden stopped the watches in 63rd position in a predominantly Division II field of 182 runners. He used a 5:37.7 per-mile pace to finish the eight-kilometer course in 27:59.0, an improvement of 24-seconds over his time on the same course at the Queen City Invitational.
  • Angelyn Wiggins, Sweet Briar, Fy.
    October 12, 2021
    Wiggins, a first-year from Churchville, Md,. put together a top-five finish to pace Sweet Briar at the Lancer Pink Invitational hosted by Longwood University at Longwood Golf Course in Farmville, Va. Wiggins, competing on a five-kilometer course for the first time collegiately, finished fifth overall. She used a season-best 7:24.3 per-mile pace (previous best of 7:51.7) to stop the watches at 23:00.6.
  • Max Sparks, Lynchburg, Sr.
    October 05, 2021
    Sparks, a senior from Canton, Conn., put together a stellar performance at the Live in Lou Cross Country Classic/NCAA Pre-National Meet hosted by Spalding University at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Ky. Sparks set a new Lynchburg program record for eight-kilometer courses, snapping the mark (24:43.00) of eventual national champion Ricky Flynn in 2009. Sparks used a 4:55.10 per-mile pace to post a time of 24:27.0 as the new top mark in the ODAC this season. He finished fourth overall in the national field, less than 16-seconds off the winning time (24:11.4) posted by Simon Heys from Wilmington College (Ohio). Sparks' effort helped Lynchburg to seventh out of 42 competing teams.
  • Stephanie Burnett, Lynchburg, Gr.
    October 05, 2021
    Burnett, a graduate student from Midlothian, Va., posted one of two (with Kelsey Lagunas) top-25 finishes for Lynchburg in a strong showing at the Live in Lou Cross Country Classic/NCAA Pre-National Meet hosted by Spalding University at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Ky. Burnett, already the Hornets all-time record holder (21:40.9) in six-kilometer races from the NCAA regional in 2019, is well on her way to challenging that record book entry after posting a time of 22:50.3. She used a 6:07.5 per-mile pace to finish 20th overall out of 278 competitors in a deep national field and post the best 6K time in the ODAC this season. Lynchburg placed sixth (204) out of 37 teams in the meet table.
  • Chamberlain Zulauf, Roanoke, Sr.
    September 28, 2021
    Zulauf, a senior from Vienna, Va., led Roanoke's contingent at the Hornet Harrier Invitational hosted by Shenandoah University at Kernstown Battlefield in Kernstown, Va. Zulauf finished fourth overall in the eight-kilometer race, which was one of three separate competitions joining six-kilometer and three-kilometer disciplines as part of the event. Zulauf posted a time of 27:33.9, using a 5:32.7 per-mile average over the difficult course to chime in behind three runners from DeSales University. The Maroons, which featured runners in fourth, fifth, and sixth positions, placed second in the team table.
  • Erin Atkinson, Shenandoah, Sr.
    September 28, 2021
    Atkinson, a senior from Cumberland, Md., set a new personal-best time in winning the six-kilometer competition at the Hornet Harrier Invitational hosted by Shenandoah at Kernstown Battlefield in Kernstown, Va. The 6K event was one of three disciplines at the Invitational, joining five-kilometer and three-kilometer races. Atkinson shattered her fastest previous 6K time by 24.5 seconds, which she established earlier this year at the Salisbury University Fall Classic (24:45.6) on a flatter course. She topped the watches on Saturday at 24:21.1, using a 6:31.9 per-mile pace to win by 22.6 seconds over Shenandoah teammate Ashley Benoit. The Hornets placed first in the team standings of the 6K race.
  • Drew Woodfolk, Washington and Lee, Sr.
    September 21, 2021
    Woodfolk, a senior from Kingwood, Texas, was the top ODAC finisher at the NCAA Division II/III Regional Preview hosted by Converse University on Saturday. Woodfolk used a 5:26.50 per mile pace to finish 38th overall out of 272 runners in the field and 12th among Division III competitors. He finished the eight-kilometer course at 27:03.3 at the Roger Milliken Center in Spartanburg, S.C. Woodfolk's efforts helped Washington and Lee to 10th (264 points) in the team standings out of 26 total squads. The Generals ranked third among D-III teams.
  • Allison Shelly, Eastern Mennonite, Jr.
    September 21, 2021
    Shelly, a junior from Collinsville, Miss., put together a top-10 showing at the CNU XC Invitational hosted by Christopher Newport University. Shelly used a 6:45.45 per mile pace to finish the six-kilometer course at Lee Hall Mansion in eight position out of 59 competitors. She stopped the watches at 25:11.60, first among ODAC competitors in the event. Eastern Mennonite chimed in fourth in the team standings with 95 points.
  • Frank Csorba, Lynchburg, Jr.
    September 14, 2021
    Csorba, a junior from Boydton, Va., blistered his way to the fastest season-opening time for a Lynchburg cross country since 2009 (Ricky Flynn) with a strong showing at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational. Csorba, who earned All-American honors in the 10,000-meter run at last spring's NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships, was the top D-III runner on Friday as he placed 12th overall trailing only current and former Division I competitors. Csorba posted a time of 25:18.7 featuring a pace of 5:05.5 per mile over the eight-kilometer course. His time ranks 12th all-time in the Hornets 8K record book.
  • Kelsey Lagunas, Lynchburg, Jr.
    September 14, 2021
    Lagunas, a junior from Johnstown, Colo., posted a new personal-best time over six kilometer courses following a strong effort at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational. Lagunas was the top Division III finisher as she trailed only current Division I runners on the way to placing 15th overall. She posted a time of 23:24.2 to rank 11th all-time on the Lynchburg 6K charts. That time also marked the fastest for a Hornet in the Virginia Tech event since 2018. Lagunas completed the race using a 6:16.6 per mile pace.
  • Peter Smith, Roanoke, Sr.
    September 07, 2021
    Smith, a senior from Roanoke, Va., joined the winners' circle for the first time in his collegiate career by out-pacing the field at the Eagle XC Challenge hosted by Bridgewater College. Smith used a 5:11.5 per-mile pace to finish with a time of 12:54.2 over the four kilometer layout. He won the event by 17.6 seconds and was the lone competitor to crack 13 minutes in the field.
  • Emily Smeds, Bridgewater, Fy.
    September 07, 2021
    Smeds, a first-year from Palmyra, Va., made the most of her first collegiate appearance as she was the first runner to stop the watches at the Eagle XC Challenge hosted by Bridgewater College. Smeds posted a time of 15:21.0 over the four-kilometer course, using a 6:10.5 per-mile pace over the layout that will eventually accommodate the ODAC Cross Country Championships on October 30.