WALESKA, Ga.— Ryan Stade and Heather Murphy were the only Montreat College men's and women's track & field athletes in action last week, but the tandem made the most of their opportunities. According to a release from the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) office on Monday, both Stade and Murphy picked up AAC Indoor Track Athlete of the Week nods.
 
These marked the first AAC Indoor Track Athlete of the Week honors in both Stade's and Murphy's collegiate careers. For the Cavaliers, the awards marked the men's program's first and women's program's second weekly recognition of the indoor campaign.
 
Competing on Friday at the Hokie Invitational in Blacksburg, Va., Stade and Murphy were each impressive in their respective 3000m events against a multitude of NCAA Division I athletes. Stade capitalized on a personal-best and NAIA 'B' standard time of 8:22.39 to place fourth out of 14 participants. The Marysville, Kan. native outran eight DI competitors during his performance. Similarly, Murphy was only bested by two Division I runners. Behind her NAIA 'A' standard mark of 9:46.40, Murphy topped 16 DI participants to place third out of 20 finishers.
 
As of Monday, Murphy's time ranked fourth in the NAIA, and she also owns the third-fastest showing this season (9:40.27). Stade's effort currently stands as the fifth-quickest 3000m time of the campaign.
 
For the official AAC Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week release, click here. To view the official AAC Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week release, click here.
 
The Montreat College men's and women's track & field teams head to Tryon International in Mill Spring, N.C. on Friday, Jan. 30 for the Tryon Banked Invitational.