VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota fifth-year senior Merga Gemeda has been named the Summit League Men's Cross Country Peak Performer of the Week presented by TicketSmarter for the period ended Sept. 18. This marks his first honor of the 2022 season.
 
Gemeda picks up his eighth career weekly accolade from the Summit League, which ranks fourth in league history. He tied the Summit single-season record last fall with five.
 
A native of Sioux City, Iowa, Gemeda is coming off a personal best performance at the Coaching Tree Invitational held in Bloomington, Indiana. His time of 24:19.4 placed him 17th in a field that included three nationally ranked teams, including runners from defending national champion Northern Arizona.
 
Gemeda's time leads the Summit League this season and was four seconds faster than his best time on a cross country course last fall.
 
South Dakota returns to the course at the Gans Creek Classic on Friday, Sept. 30, in Columbia, Missouri.