FARMINGTON, Utah — Montana State fifth-year Sam Ells and junior Niamh Motley were named Big Sky co-men’s and women’s cross country athletes of the week, respectively, following strong performances at the Pre-National Invitational on Oct. 16, the conference office announced on Tuesday.
Montana State has now earned six Big Sky weekly honors this season, with Ells, Motley and Claire Rutherford receiving honors from the conference in 2026. Ells took home weekly honors three times this season following the Pre-National Invitational (Oct. 16), Frank Knott Classic (Oct. 3) and Montana Invite (Sept. 18); Rutherford earned two athlete of the week awards after the Frank Knott Classic and MSU Bobcat Twilight (Sept. 4); and Motley earned the first weekly honor of her career thanks to her performance at the Pre-National Invitational.
Ells earned a top-30 finish at the Pre-National Invitational in Terre Haute, Ind., on Oct. 16, crossing the finish line in 27th place with an 8k time of 23:43.6 in the men's blue race. Ells was the fastest Mountain Region individual finisher at the meet and led the Bobcats, who were the top-finishing Mountain Region team, to a 12th-place result at the nationally competitive meet. Ells has led the Bobcat men in all four meets this season.
Motley led the Montana State women at the Pre-National Invitational with a 56th-place result in the women's blue 6k. She crossed the finish line in 20:27.6, the fastest time by a Bobcat this year, to lead the Cats to 28th place overall, 10 spots higher than their initial ranking among the competitive 43-team field. Motley bested her previous 6k personal best of 21:49.2 by 82 seconds in Indiana to finish as the Bobcats' top finisher for the first time in her career.
The Bobcats open postseason competition at the Big Sky Cross Country Championships in Flagstaff, Ariz., on Friday, Oct. 30.
