Natalie Bitetti Repeats as SCIAC Athlete of the Week

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Natalie Bitetti earned the SCIAC Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week for events through Sunday, Sept. 24, the conference announced today.

Bitetti's honor was her second in a row and seventh of her career, including winning it four times last season on her way to SCIAC and NCAA West Region titles and SCIAC Athlete of the Year accolades. 

Bitetti finished in 20:59.1 to come in second place at The Master's Invitational on Saturday out of 194 runners. She was second behind Hannah Fredericks of The Master's in 20:40.4, while there was a 13-second dropoff in between Bitetti and third place. 

As a team, CMS was a close second behind Biola (33 points to 44 points), while The Master's University (78) and Pomona-Pitzer (138) were a distant third and fourth. 

CMS will be back in action in two weeks, when Bitetti and several others will travel to compete at the NCAA Pre-Nationals in Newville, Pennsylvania on Oct. 7, while the rest of the team will be in action at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational.