Date Posted: 10/18/2006

MACON, Ga. -- Belmont's Elizabeth Smothers earns the final Atlantic Sun Runner of the Week award of the season with a victory at the Evansville Invitationall. Out of 97 competitors, Smothers set a personal best time of 17:55 in the 5K race, winning her first collegiate individual title.

The junior also helped the Burins win the team title. Belmont had four runners place in the top 20 and finished 21 points ahead of second place finisher Creighton. The Brentwood, Tenn. native is majoring in Biology.

The Atlantic Sun Conference announces the Athlete of the Week every Wednesday during the 2006 cross country season.

All 10 teams will be in action Saturday, Oct. 28 at the Atlantic Sun Championships held at Gardner-Webb. The women will race at 9 am and the men will begin at 10 am.

The 10-member league headquartered in Macon, Ga., includes Belmont, Campbell, ETSU, Gardner-Webb, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Mercer, North Florida and Stetson, with Florida Gulf Coast and USC Upstate to compete in 2007.