BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced weekly awards for October 5, 2026, where Jackson State’s Ryan Achau was named Men’s Runner of the Week along with Aden Ortega being named Newcomer of the Week. On the Women’s side, Alabama A&M swept the categories with Laura Avila being named Runner of the Week and Iyndia Bey earning Newcomer of the Week.
 
SWAC Men’s Cross Country Men’s Runner of the Week: Ryan Achau, Jackson State
Adding his third weekly honor of the season, the freshman from Baringo, Kenya led the way for Jackson State at the Nicholls Invitational earning his third consecutive individual victory. Achau covered the four-mile course with a 20:01.0 time and will now turn his attention to the MC Watson Ford Invitational in Clinton, Mississippi.
 
SWAC Men’s Cross Country Men’s Newcomer of the Week: Aden Ortega, Texas Southern
The Freshman from Katy, Texas ran the fastest time in the SWAC amongst all freshman in the 38^th Annual Chile Pepper Festival, clocking a time of 26:12.1. Ortega adds his first weekly honor of the season and will now turn his attention to the Arturo Barrios Invite on October 16^th in College Station, Texas.
 
 
SWAC Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week: Laura Avila, Alabama A&M
The Senior from Medellin, Colombia claimed another individual title as the Lady Bulldogs won their third consecutive title at the Louisville Classic. Avila finished the 5k race with a time of 18:20.2 as Alabama A&M totaled 27 points to lead the 25-team scoring field. This weekly award marked Avila’s second of the season and she will now turn her focus on becoming a champion at the SWAC Championships on Tuesday, October 27^th in Tallahassee, Florida.
 
SWAC Women’s Cross Country Newcomer of the Week: Iyndia Bey, Alabama A&M
The Freshman from Chesterfield, Virginia crossed the finish line with a top-eight finish with a 19:02.5 time in the 5k at Louisville Classic. Bey contributed to the Lady Bulldogs winning their third consecutive title and adds her second weekly honor of the season. Bey will now turn her focus towards Championship season in Tallahassee, Florida to compete in the SWAC Championships on October 27^th.
 
 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 competition is 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
For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at www.swac.org.