Nov. 14, 2007

IRVING, Texas - Conference USA has named Silje Fjortoft of SMU and UTEP's Stephen Samoei as this week's Female and Male Athletes of the Week, respectively. Fjortoft won the women's South Region title, while Samoei clocked the second-best time. As a team, the UTEP men finished second to automatically qualify for nationals.

FEMALE
Silje Fjortoft, SMU
Fr., Orsta, Norway
Fjortoft won the NCAA South Central Regional Cross Country Championship at Agri Park on Saturday, Nov. 10, crossing the line of the 6K course in 20:34.2. Fjortoft, who two weeks ago was named the Conference USA Freshman of the Year, earned All-Region honors for her effort and becomes the second SMU student-athlete to win the race in as many years, as Rachael Forish won the event a year ago. Fjortoft now advances to the NCAA Championships, Monday, Nov. 19, in Terre Haute, Ind.

MALE
Stephen Samoei, UTEP
Sr., Eldoret, Kenya
Samoei led the Miners in second place with a time of 29:54.5, finishing 2.4 seconds behind Northern Arizona's Lopez Lomong. Samoei, a two-time All-American has been named Conference USA Athlete of the Week three times this year and took the individual title at the Conference USA Championship Meet. He was the lone qualifier for the NCAA Championship Meet last year.

2007 C-USA CROSS COUNTRY ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
September 5
Male - Eric Harris, Tulsa
Female - Elizabeth Ambrus, UAB

September 11
Male - Stephen Samoei, UTEP
Female - Aubrey Phillips, Tulane

September 18
Male - Patrick Mutai, UTEP
Female - Alex Becker, Tulsa

September 25
Male - Stephen Magness, Houston
Female - Marissa Daniels, Rice

October 2
Male - Edwin Henshaw, Tulsa
Female - Marissa Daniels, Rice

October 9
Male - Miles Harris, UCF
Female - Kelly Young, UTEP

October 16
Male - Stephen Samoei, UTEP
Female - Alex Becker, Tulsa & Silje Fjortoft, SMU

October 30
Male - Stephen Samoei, UTEP
Female - Alex Becker, Tulsa

November 14
Male - Stephen Samoei, UTEP
Female - Silje Fjortoft, SMU