Emory University seniors Lukas Mees (Marion, IA) and Elise Viox (St. Louis, MO) were named by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as South/Southeast Region Athletes of the Year for the 2015 cross country season.
Mees, who ranked as the Eagles’ No. 1 runner in all eight of the team’s competitions during the year, recorded an eight-second victory at the NCAA South/Southeast Region Championships, becoming the first Emory runner since 2003 to accomplish that feat. His performance helped the men’s team to its second straight Region title. During the season, Mees came away with a total of three first-place finishes (JSU Foothills Invitational & Charlotte Invitational), as well as runner-up finish at the University Association Championships where he clocked a personal-best 8K time of 25:02.
Viox shined for the women’s side, which ended the year ranked 21st nationally, pacing the squad in all eight races. Viox crossed the finish line in the No. 1 spot at the NCAA Regionals out of 200 entries, posting a 10-second victory over the runner-up finisher. Viox’s effort represented the Eagles’ first individual champion at the event since 2010 and helped the program to its second straight title and third in the past five seasons. The following week at the NCAA D-III Championships Viox, turned in a personal-best 6K showing of 22:01, that was good for 58th-place overall out of 280 runners.
In addition, John Curtin was named the South/Southeast Region Head Coach of the Year for both men’s and women’s cross country.