NEW ORLEANS – Eastern Kentucky University senior All-American Soufiane Bouchikhi has been named the Division I Male National Athlete of the Week by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Bouchikhi, the three-time OVC champion and last year’s NCAA Southeast Region champion, opened the season by winning the Bluegrass Cross Country Invitational on Saturday in Lexington, defeating his nearest competitor by 12 seconds while covering the 8K course in a time of 23:35.60. Clocking an average mile split of 4:44, the native of Antwerp, Belgium topped a field that included runners from No. 1 Oklahoma State as well as regional rivals Kentucky and Louisville. His performance led No. 11 EKU to a resounding win at its first meet of the fall.
This is the first National Athlete of the Week honor for Bouchikhi. The award was created by the USTFCCCA in January of 2013.
Bouchikhi and the rest of the Colonels return to action on Saturday, Sept. 28 at the University of Virginia / Panorama Farms Invitational.