Songok earns Big 12 Runner of the Week honor for A&M victory

Irving, Texas – Texas A&M senior Shadrack Songok (Shad-rack Son-gawk) has been selected Big 12 Runner of the Week in cross country by the conference office following his victory at the Texas A&M Invitational this past weekend.

Songok ran his first race as an Aggie on the Penberthy Intramural course last Friday and led A&M to its sixth consecutive team title. Songok covered the 8,000-meter course in 24 minutes, 16 seconds, to better the field by 13 seconds. It was the first win by an Aggie runner at A&M’s home meet since J.P. Machemehl in 2005.

“It’s awesome to be part of this team,” Songok noted. “It was a special win, especially since it was the first time to compete as an Aggie and it was during a home meet. To be honored by the conference is motivating and encouraging.”

Songok paced a 1-2-3-4 finish by the Aggies as they accumulated 22 points for the team win, bettering Stephen F. Austin (90), Tarleton State (142), Rice (149), Texas-Arlington (155), Baylor (157) and Sam Houston State (158) amid a field of 13 teams.

“Cross country is all about team work,” said Songok. “I was impressed with my teammates being there right behind me. It showed me at this stage of the season where we are as a team.

“It’s still the beginning of the season, but it’s a short season. My goal is to train hard and compete. We want to qualify as a team for nationals.”

The women’s Big 12 Runner of the Week was Baylor’s Erin Bedell, who paced the Bears to a Texas A&M Invitational team title as she placed second individually in the 5,000-meter race with a time of 17:10.

Texas A&M will have a weekend off and return to action on Friday, October 3, when they travel to South Bend, Indiana, for the Notre Dame Invitational. The Aggie men are ranked 26th in the nation and second in the South Central region while the A&M women are currently fourth in the South Central region. The next poll will be released on Sept. 29.