Montgomery, Alabama — Blue Mountain Christian College sophomore Ella Shepherd has been named the SSAC Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week. The award comes after her sixth-place finish at the Harding Invitational.
Shepherd completed the 5K race in 19 minutes, 45.80 seconds. She has led the Toppers in each of their first two races of the season after entering the year as an SSAC Runner to Watch, according to school officials.
“Ella has put together a really strong start to the season, and it’s great to see her hard work being recognized,” Blue Mountain Christian head coach Phillip Laney said. “She continues to compete with confidence and has been a great leader for us on the course. We’re excited to see what she can accomplish as the season progresses.”
Shepherd and the Toppers aim to carry their early-season momentum into the rest of the 2026 campaign.
