Jones Named Pac-12 Athlete Of The Year; Bent Tabbed Freshman of the Year

BOULDER – University of Colorado senior Dani Jones was named the Pac-12 Women's Athlete of the Year for the second straight year, while teammate Holly Bent was honored as the Pac-12 Women's Freshman of the Year.

Jones earned the athlete of the year honor after winning her second consecutive Pac-12 cross country individual title on Friday, Oct. 26. She outkicked her closest competitor in Oregon's Jessica Hull to the finish for a narrow 0.6-second victory, crossing the finish in 19:24.5. Jones became the first Buff since Molly Austin (2001 and 02) to win back-to-back conference titles.

Bent, a redshirt freshman, was the highest finishing freshman in the race, clocking in at 22^nd, and is the first female CU athlete to win the honor. This is the first time since 2012 the conference athlete of the year and freshman of the year come from the same school.

The Buffs also had six individual harriers, three men and three women, named to the 2018 All-Pac-12 Teams. Jones earned first team honors with teammate Makena Morley, while junior Tabor Scholl was selected to the second team.

On the men's side, junior Joe Klecker was named for the first team, while junior John Dressel and senior Ryan Forsyth were selected to the second team.

All-Pac-12 teams are determined by an athlete's placing at the Pac-12 Championship. First team members include the first through seventh place finishers, while those who place eighth through 14^th earn a position on the second team.

2018 All-PAC-12 MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS
First Team
Joe Klecker

Second Team
John Dressel
Ryan Forsyth

2018 All-PAC-12 WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS
Athlete of the Year
Dani Jones

Freshman of the Year
Holly Bent

First Team
Dani Jones
Makena Morley

Second Team
Tabor Scholl

USTFCCCA RANKINGS
The USTFCCCA national rankings were also released on Tuesday. CU's men held steady at eighth, while the women moved to fourth. In the regional rankings, the women moved to second behind New Mexico, while the men stayed at third.