ST. LOUIS, Mo. - For the second time this season, redshirt-freshman Nicole Benson (Peoria, Ill./Limestone H.S.) has been named the Missouri Valley Conference women's cross country athlete of the week. Benson set a personal best 5K time of 17:37 and finished 57th of 178 at the 2009 Notre Dame Cross Country Invitational Friday in Notre Dame, Ind.

Of the 22 women's teams at the Notre Dame Invitational, 10 were ranked in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division I top-30 poll, while 10 more received regional rankings. Bradley finished 19th of 22; beating regionally ranked UC Riverside, Utah State and Houston.

Benson was the first Valley runner to cross the finish line, edging Illinois State's Jess Husted by 14 seconds. Her 5K time ranks second on this season's MVC best list, just one second behind Terry Phillips from Missouri State.

Benson and the Braves will race Saturday, Oct. 10 at SIU Edwardsville at 10 a.m.