DeWolf, Jones win AAC runner of the week

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (Oct. 19, 2020) – Milligan University's Avery DeWolf and Aaron Jones raced their way to wins at last week's Appalachian Athletic Conference Preview and to AAC runner of the week awards. The AAC announced the awards on Monday for the week ending Oct. 18.

This is DeWolf's second AAC weekly award of the season and third of her career. Jones, a freshman, won for the first time in his career.

DeWolf collects second AAC weekly award of season

DeWolf's previous AAC weekly award this season came two weeks ago when she won the Buffalo Creek Invitational to lead the No. 8 Buffs to a team victory. Milligan has won the AAC women's runner of the week four times this season, with freshman Kaelyn Slaughter earning honors Sept. 28 and junior Kelsey Mowrey earning honors Oct. 12.

DeWolf paced the four-team, 44-individual mostly AAC field, winning in 18:09. She won by 10 seconds and finished 23 seconds ahead of AAC opposition.

With the win, DeWolf led the Buffs to their fourth team victory of the season and kept the team undefeated when running with its top group. DeWolf has led Milligan all three times she has run this season.

Jones defeats strong competition, lands first AAC weekly award

Jones defeated several strong runners to pick up his first AAC weekly award. The five-team, 52-individual field included former indoor national champion Moses Dirane from No. 23 Montreat, and teammates Tim Thacker, an indoor mile runner-up, and Jake Crow, an indoor national finalist.

Jones ran the 8k race in 25:30, 22 seconds ahead of the rest of the field. The No. 13 Buffs stayed perfect through five races this season.

Jones represents the third Buff to win the AAC weekly award on the men's side this season, following Evan Henson (Sept. 28) and Tim Thacker (Oct. 5).

Up next

DeWolf, Jones and the Buffs will next be in action at the AAC Championships, set for Saturday, Nov. 14, in Asheville, North Carolina. It will be the final event of the fall semester, as the NAIA Cross Country National Championships have been moved to the spring.