Christopher Wraps Up Penguin XC Career with Second #HLXC Athlete of the Year Award
12/5/2024 3:39:00 PM | Cross Country
Fifth-year runner Hunter Christopher put a bow on his Youngstown State Cross-Country career as he was named the Horizon League Cross Country Male Athlete of the Year for the second-consecutive season, the league announced Thursday.
Christopher becomes just the second male runner in Horizon League history to win the award twice since its inception in 2002, and the first to do so since Andy Baker of Butler won the award in three-consecutive years from 2007-2009.
Christopher won his second-straight Horizon League individual Cross Country title on Nov. 2 in Green Bay, Wis. as finished the men's 8K race with a time of 24:11.2. Christopher also helped lead the YSU men to their third-straight team title.
Christopher capped off his career the following week at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championships in Norton, OH., as he finished 11th individually with a time of 29:29.0 in the 10K race. His time in the race broke his own program 10K record by 54 seconds, as he posted a time of 30:23 at the 2023 Great Lakes Regional Championships.
Hunter also holds the program 8K record, one that he set with a time of 23:10 at the Texas A&M Arturo Barrios Invitational on Oct. 18 in College Station, TX.
Among other accolades already mentioned, Christopher became the first Penguin and fifth runner in Horizon League history this season to garner First Team All-Horizon League honors four times. He was also a Horizon League Honorable Mention All-Academic Team selection this season as well.
