(L-R): Tristian Merchant, Isabela Ross, Adelyn Fairley
Fairley, Ross & Merchant Claim CUSA XC Honors
12/12/2024 2:01:00 PM | Cross Country
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Adelyn Fairley was named Liberty's first CUSA Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Year, it was announced on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Flames' Isabela Ross and Tristian Merchant swept the CUSA Newcomer of the Year honors.
To be eligible for the newcomer of the year awards, an athlete must have completed his or her first year of cross country eligibility in CUSA in 2024 after transferring from another institution. Freshmen are not eligible for this honor.
Fairley punctuated her collegiate cross country career by placing 77th at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, where she was the only CUSA women's runner competing. A redshirt senior from Mears, Mich., Fairley earned her third career all-region medal with an eighth-place finish at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships. She also finished as the CUSA runner-up for her fifth all-conference recognition.
Fairley opened her season with back-to-back top 10 finishes at the Liberty Challenge (first place) and adidas XC Challenge (ninth). Her personal-best 5K time of 16:44.7 at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational ranks fifth on Liberty's all-time list.
Ross, a junior from Oak Creek, Wis., made an immediate impact during her first cross country season with the Lady Flames after transferring from Southern Miss. She was one of four Lady Flames to finish inside the top 50 (49th place) at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships. Two weeks earlier, Ross earned first team All-CUSA accolades with a sixth-place conference showing.
Ross joined Liberty's all-time lists for both the 5K (No. 7, 17:07.9 at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational) and 6K (No. 8, 20:38.2 at the CUSA Championship) distances.
After being limited to one cross country race during his first two seasons at Liberty following a transfer from Northern Arizona, Merchant was a major contributor in 2024. The redshirt sophomore from Anchorage, Alaska finished a team-best third place at the CUSA Championships. Two weeks later, Merchant crossed the line 35th at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships.
Merchant's first two races of the year resulted in a runner-up finish at the Liberty Challenge and an eighth-place effort at the adidas XC Challenge. His personal-best 23:47.7 8K clocking at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational sits No. 6 in program history.
Fairley, Ross and Merchant helped Liberty sweep the CUSA men's and women's cross country titles. It marked the Lady Flames' first CUSA championship and the men's squad's first conference title since 2013 (Big South).
To be eligible for the newcomer of the year awards, an athlete must have completed his or her first year of cross country eligibility in CUSA in 2024 after transferring from another institution. Freshmen are not eligible for this honor.
Fairley punctuated her collegiate cross country career by placing 77th at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, where she was the only CUSA women's runner competing. A redshirt senior from Mears, Mich., Fairley earned her third career all-region medal with an eighth-place finish at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships. She also finished as the CUSA runner-up for her fifth all-conference recognition.
Fairley opened her season with back-to-back top 10 finishes at the Liberty Challenge (first place) and adidas XC Challenge (ninth). Her personal-best 5K time of 16:44.7 at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational ranks fifth on Liberty's all-time list.
Ross, a junior from Oak Creek, Wis., made an immediate impact during her first cross country season with the Lady Flames after transferring from Southern Miss. She was one of four Lady Flames to finish inside the top 50 (49th place) at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships. Two weeks earlier, Ross earned first team All-CUSA accolades with a sixth-place conference showing.
Ross joined Liberty's all-time lists for both the 5K (No. 7, 17:07.9 at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational) and 6K (No. 8, 20:38.2 at the CUSA Championship) distances.
After being limited to one cross country race during his first two seasons at Liberty following a transfer from Northern Arizona, Merchant was a major contributor in 2024. The redshirt sophomore from Anchorage, Alaska finished a team-best third place at the CUSA Championships. Two weeks later, Merchant crossed the line 35th at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships.
Merchant's first two races of the year resulted in a runner-up finish at the Liberty Challenge and an eighth-place effort at the adidas XC Challenge. His personal-best 23:47.7 8K clocking at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational sits No. 6 in program history.
Fairley, Ross and Merchant helped Liberty sweep the CUSA men's and women's cross country titles. It marked the Lady Flames' first CUSA championship and the men's squad's first conference title since 2013 (Big South).
Players Mentioned
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