WALESKA, Ga. — For the third time in 2026, Ryan Stade and Heather Murphy of Montreat College have swept the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Track Athlete of the Week honors. The Cavalier pair teamed up twice during indoor season, and now, according to a release from the AAC on Monday evening, the duo picked up where they left off for outdoor season.
 
Stade took home the conference's Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week recognition for his superb display at the Raleigh Relays on Thursday. Running in the 10k against some of the NCAA's best athletes, Stade eviscerated his school record and a healthy chunk of the competition. The Marysville, Kan. native ended 45^th out of 128 participants thanks to his record-setting and NAIA 'A' standard time of 29:46.86. Stade shaved nearly 50 seconds off his own career-best mark, and he delivered the 16^th-fastest men's outdoor 10k performance in NAIA history.
 
Murphy also ran for the record books at the Raleigh Relays last Friday. Going up against high major NCAA Division I and professional athletes in the 10k invitational, Murphy strode her way to a 27^th-place finish out of 34 competitors. The Portarlington, Ireland native slashed nearly seven seconds off her school record, crossing the end line in 33:38.48. Not only did the effort comfortably meet the 'A' standard, but it also stands as the third-quickest women's outdoor 10k showing in the history of the NAIA.
 
For a look at the official AAC Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week release, click here. To view the official AAC Women's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week release, click here.
 
Stade, Murphy and the Montreat College men's and women's track & field teams split up between a pair of North Carolina-based meets this week. On Thursday and Friday, the Cavs head to High Point University for the VertKlasse Meeting, while on Friday, they also compete at the Tornado Classic in Brevard, N.C.