INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – On Monday, the Horizon League announced Yami Albrecht as the league's 2022 Athlete of the Year for the Cross Country season. 

Albrecht has earned two #HLXC Athlete of the Week honors in the 2022 fall season with an individual victory at the 2022 #HLXC Championships in Rochester with an 8,000-kilometer time of 24:44.1 for his first individual conference championship in cross country.

"I'm so happy Yami is receiving this honor," said Head Cross Country Coach Paul Rice, "This an award he has worked hard to earn. The journey he's been on the last several years, battling through a lot of adversity, and feeling like he's always coming back from something I know has been frustrating for him."

The Caro, Michigan native posted the second-fastest 8,000-kilometer time in Oakland history with a 24:06 at the Bradley Pink Classic on October 14th following a 27th-place performance at the prestigious Arkansas Chile Pepper XC Festival on September 30. 

"Through it all, he's kept a great attitude and never given up and this is just a testament to how tough this young man is," said Rice.

The team won the Mel Brodt Collegiate Open on September 16 with Albrecht's eighth-place efforts while the senior posted the fastest time in Oakland on the historic LaVern Gibson Cross Country Course at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional with a 30:59.1 10,000-kilometer run. 

"He is an inspiration to his teammates and I join this team in congratulating him for receiving this recognition," said Rice.

Albrecht's 2022 Finishes 
9/2 Mike Baumer XC Classic 5th // 15:12.9 (5K)
9/16 Mel Brodt Collegiate Open 8th // 26:04.0 (8K)
9/30 Chile Pepper XC Festival 27th // 24:29.0 (8K)
10/14 Bradley Pink Classic 31st // 24:06 (8K)
10/29 #HLXC Championships 1st // 24:44.1 (8K)
11/11 NCAA Great Lakes Regional 42nd // 30:59.1 (10K)

2022 #HLXC Women's Athlete of the Year
Morgan Cole, Youngstown State
 
2022 #HLXC Men's Athlete of the Year
Yami Albrecht, Oakland