Aaron Jones honored as John Sullivan AAC Male Student-Athlete of Character

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (May 22, 2023) – Milligan University cross country and track runner Aaron Jones was tabbed as the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) John Sullivan Male Student-Athlete of Character at the end-of-year conference meetings in Kingsport last week.

Jones, a rising senior and history and humanities major from Johnson City, Tenn., is the second-straight Milligan cross country and track student-athlete to earn this prestigious honor as he follows in the footsteps of Alex Mortimer (2022) and men's basketball player Bo Pless (2018).

Jones has earned All-America honors at the last five NAIA National Championships for cross country and track. In November he finished fourth overall to earn All-American honors at the NAIA Cross Country National Championships. Jones claimed the NAIA national title in the 5k at the NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships in March, the first individual national title of his career.

Jones has been Milligan's top finisher and secured All-America status at the NAIA Cross Country National Championships each of the last three seasons. The Buffs have notched top-three team finishes in each of the last three years, including Milligan's first-ever NAIA national championship in 2021.

Jones was named the 2022 USTFCCCA National Men's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year and is a two-time USTFCCCA South Region Men's Cross Country Athlete of the Year. A three-time All-AAC First Team honoree in cross country, he is a two-time AAC conference champion and AAC Men's Cross Country Runner of the Year.

Jones owns Milligan records in the cross country 8k (23:55), indoor 3k (8:14.08) and indoor 5k (14:26.68).