LANCASTER, PA – Following a pair of wins at the Rowan Border Battle last Saturday, Johns Hopkins cross country's Adriana Catalano and Emmanuel Leblond have been tabbed the Centennial Conference XC Athletes of the week, as released by the conference this morning. The recognition is the fourth for Leblond on the season — the junior has won it every week in which he has competed — and Catalano's first.
 
Catalano garners the women's cross country athlete of the week following her first win of the 2024 campaign at the Rowan Border Battle. The junior sat in third at both the one-mile and 4K marks before running the fastest final split in the field to pass a pair of teammates and cross the line in first with a time of 21:25.8 — the third-fastest 6K by a Hopkins runner this season. Catalano was the first of four consecutive Blue Jays to cross the line, leading Hopkins to an overwhelming team victory with a meet-low 18 points.
 
Leblond was equally impressive in what was his second win of the season. The junior left little in doubt in Saturday's 8K Championship, taking the lead at the 3K mark before crossing the line more the 13 seconds ahead of the next finisher. Leblond was the only competitor to run a sub-24-minute 8K with his time of 23:52.9, helping lead the Blue Jays to a third-place finish as a team in a field of 30 programs.
 
Hopkins returns Saturday Nov. 2 for the Centennial Conference Championship where the women's program will look to win its 16^th straight title while the men seek their third consecutive win. Competition will begin at 11 am.