VERMILLION, S.D. ­— Through two races of the 2026 cross country season, Isaac Ochoa now has two awards to his name as he earned the Summit League Peak Performer of the Week honor for his race at the Gans Creek Classic Friday.
 
Ochoa, a junior from Norfolk, Neb., ran the fastest 8k in school history and the second fastest 8k in Summit League history Friday morning in Columbia, Mo.. He nearly became the first Coyote and second Summit League athlete to break under 23 minutes at the 8k distance, running 23:00.9 at the Gans Creek Classic to place 13^th overall. He earned medalist honors at the race and was the top finisher from the three Summit League schools in attendance.
 
Ochoa joins Geneva Timmerman in winning a Summit League Peak Performer honor so far this season. He is the first Coyote men's cross country athlete to win a Summit League Peak Performer honor since Merga Gemeda did it three times in 2022.
 
Earlier this fall, after the Augustana Twilight, Isaac Ochoa won the USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week honor for his performance at the Augustana Twilight. Now through two races in his junior campaign, he has won two weekly awards.

 
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