Contact: Amanda Dahl, NAIA Manager of Sports Information and Media Services, adahl@naia.org

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - IU East's Justin Taylor has been named the NAIA National Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week and Carlie Rider has been tabbed the NAIA National Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week, the national office announced Wednesday. Taylor and Rider selected based on their performances from Oct. 25 - 31 and were chosen out of a pool of conference/independent/unaffiliated group runners of the week selections. The IU East duo is the final NAIA National Runner of the Week honorees for the 2010 season.

Taylor posted the eighth-fastest 8K time in IU East's history, posting a 29:02 en route to a third-place finish at the Kentucky Christian University Late Knight's Run in Grayson, Ky., on Oct. 30. Taylor, a sophomore from Waynesville, Ohio, helped the Red Wolves to their best finish at any invitational in school history, taking second in the five-team field with 35 points.

Running at the same event, Rider placed second in a field of 36 competitors, finishing the 5K with a time of 21:15. Her clocking was the fourth-fastest in the program's history and Rider's runner-up performance matched the highest-ever individual placing at IU East. A freshman hailing of Eaton, Ohio, Rider helped to propel the Red Wolves to their first-ever team title with 35 points.

Men's Nominees: Gary Cantrell, Concordia (Mich.)

Women's Nominees: Marion Rodriguez, Concordia (Mich.)

2010 Composite Award Winners (Men's; Women's) (Schedule)
Week 1: John Gilbertson, The Master's (Calif.); Poppy Lawman, Azusa Pacific (Calif.)
Week 2: Kennedy Kithuka, Wayland Baptist (Texas); Amy Pierson, Southwestern (Kan.)
Week 3: Kennedy Kithuka, Wayland Baptist (Texas); Stephanie Lucas, Illinois Tech
Week 4: Paul Chelimo, Shorter (Ga.); Justyna Mudy, Shorter (Ga.)
Week 5: Sam Vazquez, Embry-Riddle (Fla.); Poppy Lawman, Azusa Pacific (Calif.)
Week 6: Paul Chelimo, Shorter (Ga.); Justyna Mudy, Shorter (Ga.)
Week 7: Kennedy Kithuka, Wayland Baptist (Texas); Kelsey Klettke, Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)
Week 8: Justin Taylor, IU East; Carlie Rider, IU East