Colorado University Athletics
Clark, Saarel Named CU Athletes of the Week
November 02, 2016 | Cross Country
This week's Athlete of the Week honors goes to Erin Clark (women's cross country) and Ben Saarel (men's cross-country). Senior Erin Clark was the runner-up at the 2016 Pac-12 Championships on Oct. 28, leading the Buffs to their second straight team title. Clark finished the race (20:23.3) just .04 seconds behind Washington's Amy-Eloise Neale (20:22.9), as Neale passed Clark in the final meters of the race. Clark still ran a good 6k race for her highest Pac-12 finish ever; she was always in the front pack and was never lower than sixth. The top-ranked Buffs won the team title with 33 points, defeating the runner-up, No. Washington (74) by 41 points (the third largest margin of victory in Pac-10/12 history).
Senior Ben Saarel led the seventh-ranked Buffs to their sixth consecutive Pac-12 cross-country team title last Friday, Oct. 28, running to a third place finish (24:16.5), his highest conference finish. He had a lot of work to do during the 8k race, working up from 38th at the 2k split, but he made it look easy, moving to fourth at the halfway (4k) split. He ran a smart race the rest of the way to lead CU to yet another Pac-12 team title with his finish. The Buffs recorded 41 points to narrowly defeat No. 2 Stanford (47) by six points.
Also nominated for this week's honor: Kirsty Hodgkins (women's golf) and Alexa Smith (volleyball).
In golf, Hodgkins recorded her first collegiate sub-70 round with a 4-under 69 in the final round of the Pac-12 Preview, clinching her third straight top 10 performance as she tied for three others for ninth overall with a 1-over 220. Her 69 score tied for the second-best round of the day and third-best overall in the tournament. She got to 4-under quickly, with birdies on four of her first six holes. Starting at No. 12, she birdied on the 400-yard par 4. Hodgkins had back-to-back birdies at No. 14 and No. 15 and closed that stretch by carding a 2 on the 191-yard No. 17. She dropped two strokes at No. 1 and No. 3, both par 4's, but moved back to 4-under with birdies at No. 4 and No. 7. She logged six birdies on the day.
In volleyball, sophomore Alexa Smith led the Buffs last weekend as they took on a pair of ranked opponents on the road. She recorded 18 kills in a five-set loss to No. 12 UCLA and picked up 16 digs for her 11th double-double of the season. She also posted three block assists in the effort. The following night, Smith tallied 11 kills and nine digs in a narrow three-set loss to No. 24 Southern California. She averaged a team best 3.62 kills, 3.12 digs and 3.81 points per set.
Senior Ben Saarel led the seventh-ranked Buffs to their sixth consecutive Pac-12 cross-country team title last Friday, Oct. 28, running to a third place finish (24:16.5), his highest conference finish. He had a lot of work to do during the 8k race, working up from 38th at the 2k split, but he made it look easy, moving to fourth at the halfway (4k) split. He ran a smart race the rest of the way to lead CU to yet another Pac-12 team title with his finish. The Buffs recorded 41 points to narrowly defeat No. 2 Stanford (47) by six points.
Also nominated for this week's honor: Kirsty Hodgkins (women's golf) and Alexa Smith (volleyball).
In golf, Hodgkins recorded her first collegiate sub-70 round with a 4-under 69 in the final round of the Pac-12 Preview, clinching her third straight top 10 performance as she tied for three others for ninth overall with a 1-over 220. Her 69 score tied for the second-best round of the day and third-best overall in the tournament. She got to 4-under quickly, with birdies on four of her first six holes. Starting at No. 12, she birdied on the 400-yard par 4. Hodgkins had back-to-back birdies at No. 14 and No. 15 and closed that stretch by carding a 2 on the 191-yard No. 17. She dropped two strokes at No. 1 and No. 3, both par 4's, but moved back to 4-under with birdies at No. 4 and No. 7. She logged six birdies on the day.
In volleyball, sophomore Alexa Smith led the Buffs last weekend as they took on a pair of ranked opponents on the road. She recorded 18 kills in a five-set loss to No. 12 UCLA and picked up 16 digs for her 11th double-double of the season. She also posted three block assists in the effort. The following night, Smith tallied 11 kills and nine digs in a narrow three-set loss to No. 24 Southern California. She averaged a team best 3.62 kills, 3.12 digs and 3.81 points per set.
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
/ Women's Golf
/ Cross Country
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