Week 3: GPAC Cross Country Runners of the Week

(Sioux City, Iowa) – The Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) and Hauff Mid-America Sports are proud to announce the following Cross Country Runners-of-the-Week for September 15-21, 2025. Hauff Mid-America Sports is the presenting sponsor of the 2025-2026 GPAC Players-of-the-Week and Players and Coaches-of-the-Year awards program. 

Hauff Mid-America Sports/GPAC Cross Country Runners-of-the Week

Women – Hannah Thong, Dordt University

Hannah Thong of Dordt University is this week's GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Women's Cross Country Runner-of-the-Week. Thong, a sophomore from Overland Park, Kansas, was the top NAIA runner at the Roy Griak Invite held on the Les Bolstad Golf Course in St. Paul, Minnesota. The sophomore finished 15th overall with a 6K time of 23:41. This was her second consecutive top 15 finish of the season and the sixth top 25 showing of her career.

Men – Porter Bickley, Doane University

Porter Bickley of Doane University is the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men's Cross Country Runner-of-the-Week.  Bickley, a sophomore from Omaha, Nebraska, ran the fastest time of all GPAC competitors at the Greeno/Dirksen Invite with a time of 25:23.12. He helped the Tigers to a ninth-place team finishing, second best among the NAIA teams competing. The Tigers defeated three Top 10 NJCAA teams, two NCAA Division I teams (including Nebraska), and two NCAA Division II teams out of the 23 scored teams.