Academy of Art University Athletics

Senior Natalia Novak led Academy of Art women's cross country for the second consecutive race, guiding the Urban Knights to fourth place (the team's best in program history) at the NCAA West Regional Championship in Monmouth, Ore. on Nov. 6.

Familiar with the 6k course after running it in 2019, Novak remained inside the top 15 for the entirety of the race. Chasing the front pack at the 2.4k checkpoint, the Communications & Media Technologies major jumped nine of her competitors some 1.5k later then honed in on the leaders down the stretch. She was soon fourth at 4.4k and climbed up to third by more than four seconds with a new personal best of 21:27.1. The time was the third-fastest 6k in ART U history and the top 10 finish, her seventh, brought her into a tie second in program history with teammate graduate student Hasna Kaarour.

The performance earned Novak All-Region Team honors.