NEW ORLEANS — Utah Valley women's cross country graduate runner Morgan Nokes has been named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Athlete of the Week for the opening two weeks of the 2025 season, the organization announced on Monday. 

Nokes is the second Wolverine runner in program history to earn this honor and the first on the women's side, joining UVU alum Mo Guled, who earned the recognition last season for his win at the Roy Griak Invitational.

Nokes, a native of Boise, Idaho, showed out in her first race in over a year and less than six months after giving birth in March. Nokes ran a three-mile time of 16:30.10 to take the individual title at last Friday's UVU Invitational and lead the Wolverines to the team title. Nokes won the race in dominating fashion, finishing a hair under 40 seconds ahead of teammate Ari Trimble, who took second.

Following a week off, Utah Valley returns to action on Friday, Sept. 12 in Salt Lake City for the Beehive Invitational at Sugar House Park. The women's race will start at 10 a.m. MDT, with the men's racing following at 10:45.