Alabama Cross Country’s Mercy Chelangat Named NCAA South Region Athlete of the Year

11/23/2021 4:50:00 PM | Track & Field, Cross Country

It was the latest honor for the junior standout after already being voted cross country’s SEC Runner of the Year and earning All-America honors, both for the second year in a row

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama's Mercy Chelangat became the first member of the women's cross country team to be named the NCAA South Region Athlete of the Year it was announced Tuesday.

Chelangat became the first Alabama woman to earn Southeastern Conference Cross Country Runner of the Year accolades last season, and repeated that recognition earlier this week.

She also won back-to-back individual SEC titles, earned the 2021 NCAA South Regional Championships title and was second at the 2021 NCAA Championships on Saturday after winning the national title last season. Chelangat was also named the 2021 SEC Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year, another first for the Tide women.

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