Trio of CSU Athletes Earn Weekly PBC Honors

Columbus, GA - A trio of CSU athletes have claimed Peach Belt Conference weekly honors announced earlier this week. Cross-country runners Meshack Koyiaki and Brittney Skiles each earned Runner of the Week honors, while women's soccer defender Kayla Brown earned Defender of the Week honors for her sport.

Koyiaki turned in his second win in his second race as he claimed the Mercer Run Fit Invitational in a time of 24:57. In two races this year, the sophomore has turned in the only two sub-25 minute times in the PBC this season. His run in Macon was the second-fastest 8k in the conference this season, close behind his performance in the season opener at Berry College.

Skiles was the top PBC runner and finished fourth overall at the 20-team Mercer Invitational on Saturday. The junior covered the 5k course in 19:11, her fastest 5k of the season and the second-fastest run in the Peach Belt this season. Skiles managed to avoid a meet-opening spill that took several runners out of the race, including teammate Naomi Tanui, and helped lead CSU to a sixth-place finish in the 20-team event.

 
Brown, the center of the immovable object that is the CSU defense, helped the team extend their shutout streak to five games with a 5-0 shutout of USC Aiken. The Cougars have not allowed a goal since Sept. 6, a span of 515:29 of game time. On Saturday, Brown and the Cougars held USCA to three shots, two of them on goal. She also attempted a shot on goal herself. This week's award is the second consecutive weekly award for the freshman from Lawrenceville, GA. 

 
The CSU cross-country teams will next compete on October 10, hosting the annual Cougar Invitational at the Smiths Station Sports Complex. The men's race will begin at 9 AM and the women will follow at 9:30. The women's soccer team is in action today at PBC foe Georgia Southwestern in the first of four conecutive road contests. The team faces Lincoln Memorial on Friday and Queens University (Charlotte) on Sunday in its next games.