November 2, 2009

Rio's Spencer Nabs MSC Runner of the Week Honors

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- University of Rio Grande's Matthew Spencer is the Mid-South Conference Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week, the conference announced on Monday.

The weekly conference award is Spencer's first of the season. It is the third time a Rio runner has achieved the honor this season. Sophomore Bryce Wilson (Jackson, OH) has won it on the other two occasions. 

Spencer won the Red & White Invitational hosted by Rio Grande to earn the MSC Men's Runner of the Week. The Pickerington, Ohio, junior ran the 5,000 meter course in 15:28 to win the 26-man event.

"Matt's been training really hard. He's been our number one runner for the past two years and this year Bryce and Nick (Wilson) have stepped it up a lot which has helped Matt as well, because he has had to train harder also," said Rio Grande head coach Bob Willey. "He was very focused on Friday and did an outstanding job."

"He ran with Bryce and Nick the first two miles and then the last mile he just pulled away from them," Willey added. "He had a little bit more for the 5 K then what they had that day. He's been right in their hip pocket all year."

They've run pretty much all the races together and it comes down to the final kick," Willey said. "If we can keep those three together for the conference meet, I'll be a happy man."

Spencer and the rest of the RedStorm head to Louisville, KY on Saturday for the Mid-South Conference Championships. The event is set to get underway at 12:30 p.m.