INDIANAPOLIS – The postseason continued at the NCAA DII Midwest Regional as Great Midwest Athletic Conference Cross Country Athletes of the Week were announced for the final time in 2018.
 
The Hillsdale women shined with a runner-up team performance while the Walsh men finished third overall as both respective programs earned an automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA DII Championships in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Saturday, Dec. 1.
 
Neither Great Midwest championship-winning program (Malone men, Walsh women) were the top finishing team at Hillsdale, which served as this year’s region host.
 
The top three teams from both the men’s and women’s team scoring each received automatic qualification. Individual runners were eligible to go to nationals with a top-five placing or also considered for an at-large selection with a top-eight finish in the regional.
 
The remaining championship field filled with at-large team selections will be announced at 5 p.m. ET through an NCAA press release.
 
Men’s Athlete of the Week
Joseph Humes
Hillsdale
Junior
Maybee, MI (Milan HS)

Humes clocked in with a time of 31:49.50 in the men’s 10K distance for a fifth-place finish and the distinction of being the top Great Midwest runner in the field.
 
Humes led the Chargers, who placed sixth in the team scoring, on their home course during cold and wintery conditions on Saturday.
 
Although Humes already has the top 8K and 5K times of the G-MAC this season, Humes' 10K time puts him at 11th place.
 
This is Humes' fourth weekly conference accolade of the season, and by virtue of his finish at regionals, will compete in the NCAA DII Men’s Cross Country Championships soon.
 
Women’s Athlete of the Week
Arena Lewis
Hillsdale
Junior
Belen, NM (Belen HS)
 
Like Humes, Lewis paced all Great Midwest runners in the field with a strong time of 21:41.30 to finish fifth overall.
 
Lewis led the way for Hillsdale, as she was one of four top-25 finishers for the Chargers (Maryssa Depies, Allysen Eads, Christina Sawyer) to help earn an AQ.
 
Lewis' time of 21:41.30 was the fastest Great Midwest 6K women’s time for the current season, just besting Brianna Coy's (Walsh) time by 1.4 seconds.
 
Hillsdale finished in second-place on their home course, only behind Grand Valley State in the team standings.
 
The Chargers earned an automatic bid to the NCAA DII Women's Cross Country Championship as Lewis earned her second conference weekly honor of the fall.