BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced the weekly awards for October 19, 2026, where Prairie View A&M’s Thierry Garcon was named Runner of the Week and Jackson State’s Ryan Achau was named Newcomer of the Week. On the Women’s Side, Bethune-Cookman’s Lisel Ndlovu was named the Women’s Runner of the Week along with Jackson State’s Sya Bolden earning Newcomer of the Week.
 
SWAC Cross Country Men’s Runner of the Week: Thierry Garcon, Prairie View A&M
The Senior from Houston, Texas etched his name in the Prairie View record books for the #2 best time in program history with a time of 24:35.27 in the Men’s 8K while placing 41^st out of 489 runners at the DBU Old Glory Gallop hosted by Dallas Baptist University. Garcon adds his second weekly honor of the season and will now turn his focus to the 2026 SWAC Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida on Tuesday, October 27^th.
 
SWAC Cross Country Newcomer of the Week: Ryan Achau, Jackson State
The Freshman from Baringo, Kenya continues to make an impact with the program while winning his fourth race of the season at the Watson Cross Country Classic, finishing with a time of 24:26.4. Achau has racked up many weekly accolades through the regular season and will now stack himself against a talented field of runners as he turns his focus to the SWAC Championships on Tuesday, October 27 in Tallahassee, Florida.
 
SWAC Cross Country Women’s Runner of the Week: Lisel Ndlovu, Bethune-Cookman
For the second consecutive week, the Junior led the Lady Wildcats with a second-place finish in the Women’s 6K at the Ed Holloway Classic with a time of 23:02.66. Ndlovu helped Bethune-Cookman add a team fourth place finish. Ndlovu finished just 17.62 seconds behind the individual winner while posting a 6:10.07-mile pace. As Bethune-Cookman concludes the regular season, the Lady Wildcats turn their attention to the 2026 SWAC Championships in Tallahassee, Florida.
 
SWAC Cross Country Women’s Newcomer of the Week: Sya Bolden, Jackson State
The Freshman from LaFayette, Louisiana adds her second weekly honor of the season placing 101^st with a time of 26:10.9 stacking herself against the top runners. Bolden continues to build her collegiate resume with weekly awards and a regular season to remember as she turns her attention to the 2026 SWAC Cross Country Championships on Tuesday, October 27 in Tallahassee, Florida.
 
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.

Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, and Tennis. 

Women’s competitions are offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, and Volleyball.
 
Follow the SWAC
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