Daily Dispatches from The Crow's Nest, December 6, 2024
Park University Athletes Shine at NAIA Cross Country National Championship
Four student-athletes from Park University competed at the NAIA Cross Country National Championship held in Columbia, Missouri, on November 22. Among them, Cayden Walker, a freshman from the Parkville Campus, and Lukas Mehl, a sophomore from the same campus, made impressive showings.
Walker placed 148th with a time of 25:27.7, while Mehl finished one spot ahead in 134th place with a time of 25:22.3. In the women's 6,000 meter race, Maryan Sharif, a senior from the Gilbert Campus, placed 264th with a time of 24:37.4, and Lily Brecheisen, a freshman from the Parkville Campus, finished 267th with a time of 24:40.0.
Unfortunately, the search results do not provide specific information on the NAIA Cross Country National Championship results for Park University runners from either the Parkville (Mo.) or Gilbert (Ariz.) campuses. The available information primarily covers academic honors and other schools' cross-country or track results, without detailed race results or placements for Park University runners.
If official results are needed, it is recommended to check the NAIA official website or Park University's athletics sites directly, as they typically archive national championship results for their athletes.
Meanwhile, outside the world of athletics, Park University faculty and alumni made headlines in various fields. Matt Harris, Ph.D., associate professor of political science, was interviewed for a story that aired on KSHB-TV in Kansas City related to fact-checking Missouri's Amendment 3 on November 2.
On November 6, Harris appeared live on KCTV's (Kansas City) website and Facebook page for a 60-plus minute interview to provide insight on Donald Trump winning the presidential election, local election results, and Kamala Harris' concession speech.
In the realm of academics, 61 Park University student-athletes earned NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors. The Parkville Campus women's volleyball program led Park's teams with 10 individuals being recognized.
Moreover, Zackery Fritz, a senior, was named the HAAC Esports League of Legends Player of the Year for the second straight season. Noah Yalu was selected as the GSAC Freshman of the Year in men's soccer.
In the world of music, Ali Mammadov, a graduate certificate student in piano performance in Park University's International Center for Music, appeared live on Kansas Public Radio's "Classical Music in the Morning" program on Nov. 6. Strings students from the International Center for Music also appeared on the same programme the following day.
Elsewhere, Theresa Garza, MPA '14, a member of the WWMB Class of 2021, participated in a panel discussion for the Kansas City Business Journal's 25th anniversary of "Women Who Mean Business" (now known as "Women of Influence") on Nov. 1.
Jack MacLennan, Ph.D., a senior director for strategic initiatives and communications and associate professor of political science at Park University, was appointed to the St. Thomas University Alumni Association Board of Directors.
Finally, GISDegree.org ranked Park University No. 7 on its "Best Online Bachelor's Degrees in Geography" list.
These achievements highlight the diverse talents and successes of Park University's student body and faculty, both on and off the field.
Education and self-development continue to be a priority at Park University, as 61 student-athletes earned NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors, demonstrating their commitment to academic excellence. In sports, the university's esports player, Zackery Fritz, secured the HAAC Esports League of Legends Player of the Year award for the second consecutive season.
