Ella Shepherd named SSAC women’s cross country runner of the week

Blue Mountain Christian sophomore Ella Shepherd has been named the Southern States Athletic Conference Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week after her performance at the Harding Invitational.

Shepherd finished sixth in the invitational’s 5K, completing the race in 19:45.80. She has led the Toppers in each of their first two races of the 2026 season after entering the year as an SSAC Runner to Watch.

“Ella has put together a really strong start to the season, and it's great to see her hard work being recognized,” BMCU head coach Phillip Laney said. “She continues to compete with confidence and has been a great leader for us on the course. We're excited to see what she can accomplish as the season progresses.”

Shepherd and the Toppers will look to carry their early-season momentum into the remainder of the 2026 campaign.

Source: Blue Mountain Christian University Athletics.