NEW YORK, N.Y. – Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) women's cross country freshman Mayelie Mena has been named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NJCAA Division III Women's National Athlete of the Week following an impressive performance at the 22nd Annual NJIT XC Invitational on Saturday, October 10.
Competing against a field featuring NCAA programs, Mena delivered a standout performance in the women's open 5K race, clocking 20:01.3 to finish third overall and lead all NJCAA competitors. Her time was the fastest among the Tigers' runners and helped propel FIT to a second-place team finish out of 10 scoring teams.
Mena's performance was instrumental in another strong showing for the Tigers, who totaled 59 points to finish behind NCAA Division III program Drew University. Teammate Anika Selover followed closely behind Mena, placing fourth overall with a time of 20:05.0, giving FIT two runners among the top four finishers.
The recognition marks the second USTFCCCA NJCAA Division III Women's National Athlete of the Week honor for FIT this season. Sophomore Mikayla Numkena previously earned the distinction following her performance at Stockton University's Osprey Open in September, where she recorded a 6K time of 24:19.8 and finished as the top NJCAA competitor.
With two different student-athletes earning national recognition this fall, FIT continues to establish itself as a competitive presence in NJCAA Division III women's cross country while producing strong performances against four-year collegiate programs.
