IRVINE, Calif. — The Big West has named UC San Diego's Sylvana Northrop as the Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week for the second time this season. The award is voted on by the conference's head coaches.
 
Northrop won the women's 6k on Saturday at UC Riverside's Highlander Invitational for the second-straight season. Her 20:01.4 was 26 seconds faster than her win last season and 30 seconds clear of the second-place finisher this weekend.
 
The Triton women were first at the meet, besting 24 other teams. Five other Big West teams were also at the event.
 
Northrop has been the Tritons' top finisher in every race since the start of last season. At the 2024 Big West Cross Country Championships, Northrop finished sixth to earn All-Conference honors.
 
This is Northrop's third career Big West Cross Country Athlete of the Week award, having won it once last season. She previously claimed the honor this year on Sept. 16 after finishing fourth at the Texas A&M Invitational.
 
A redshirt senior, Northrop is a native of Cupertino, California. She is majoring in cognitive science at Muir College.
 
The Highlander Invitational was the Tritons' final regular season meet of the year. Up next is The Big West Championships on Oct. 31 in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 39 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.