By Lexi Naegele, Athletic Communications & Media Intern

KANSAS CITY, MO. – Lydia Mato of Oklahoma City has been named the NAIA National Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week, the national office announced Wednesday. Mato was selected for her performance from Oct. 15 – Oct. 21 and was selected out of a pool of conference/association of independent institutions award winners.

NAIA Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week
Lydia Mato, Oklahoma City
SR, Duadaso, Ghana
• Mato finished first place out of 188 runners in the Mid-States Classic
• The senior ran a time of 17:14
• Mato holds three victories and led the 12th-ranked Stars to a runner-up finish behind Wayland Baptist

For the complete runner of the week calendar, click here.

Nominees: Naomi Lagat, Park (Mo.) ; Shelby Kallem, Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) ; Brianna Haller, Columbia (Mo.) ; Emily Bayer, Missouri Baptist ; Ally Swaim, Central Baptist (Ark.) ; Whitneigh Drown, William Woods (Mo.) ; Emily Kearney, SCAD Atlanta (Ga.) ; Jacquelyn Crow, Milligan (Tenn.) ; Susie Garza , Oregon Tech ; Michelle Herbes, Eastern Oregon ; Ashlee Knott, St. Francis (Ill.) ; Ashley Plumb, St. Ambrose (Iowa) ; Kaila Konecki, Governors State (Ill.) ; Grace Dwyer , Calumet (Ind.) ; Grace Maletich, Saint Xavier (Ill.) ; Karalynn Brock, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) ; Sarah Harden, Taylor (Ind.) ; Aspen Dirr, Huntington (Ind.) ; Hailley O'Neill, Saint Francis (Ind.) ; Emma Jankowski, Bethel (Ind.) ; Mindy Kaufman, Montana Western ; Allison Higgins, Morningside (Iowa) ; Annecheina Knevelbaard, Dordt (Iowa) ; Heidi Hennings, Hastings (Neb.) ; Taylor Price, Xavier (La.) ; Kirari Furumoto, Missouri Valley ; Lisa Sauter, Central Methodist (Mo.) ; Vanessa Cortes, Mount Mercy (Iowa) ; Adeline Holder, College of the Ozarks (Mo.) ; Kaitlyn Shoemaker, Saint Mary (Kan.) ; Maria Geesamen, York (Neb.) ; Christa Titus, Friends (Kan.) ; Mia Rodriguez, Campbellsville (Ky.) ; Evelyn Moore, Cumberlands (Ky.) ; Amber Mays, Cumberland (Tenn.) ; Marissa Kuik, Waldorf (Iowa) ; Grace Miller, Valley City State (N.D.) ; Emily Kuehn, Dickinson State (N.D.) ; Lauren Herzog, Viterbo (Wis.) ; Annie Trejo, Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) ; Anna Shields, Point Park (Pa.) ; Lucy Williams, Rio Grande (Ohio) ; Amanda Espy, Carlow (Pa.) ; Ashley Toschlog, Indiana East (Ind.) ; Jaelynn Parks, WVU Tech ; Allika Pearson, John Brown (Ark.) ; Teresha Jacobs, Wayland Baptist (Texas) ; Rachel Ward, Dalton State (Ga.) ; Maike Naegele, Middle Georgia State ; Jessy Scarpone, SCAD Savannah (Ga.) ; Mary Goetz, Ave Maria (Fla.) ; Julia Rohm, Southeastern (Fla.) ; Sarah Bomkamp, St. Thomas (Fla.) ; Jenitza Trinidad, USC Beaufort (S.C.) ; Natasha Menifee, Webber International (Fla.) ; Alexis Miller, Aquinas (Mich.) ; Madison Paquette, Cleary (Mich.) (Mich.) ; Kelli Smith, Cornerstone (Mich.) ; Kara Kline, Indiana Tech ; Sheila Samoei, Lourdes (Ohio) ; Christina Murphy, Madonna (Mich.)

2018-19 Women's Cross Country Composite Award Winners

Week 1 (September 05): Ashley Plumb, St. Ambrose (Iowa) 

Week 2 (September 12): Anna Shields, Point Park (Pa.) 

Week 3 (September 19): Lydia Wilson, Montreat (N.C.) 

Week 4 (September 26): Alexis Miller, Aquinas (Mich.) 

Week 5 (October 03): Anna Shields, Point Park (Pa.) 

Week 6 (October 10): Lydia Mato, Oklahoma City 

Week 7 (October 17): Emily Kearney, SCAD Atlanta (Ga.) 

Week 8 (October 24): Lydia Mato, Oklahoma City