LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - Junior Christie Turak of the Mercyhurst College women’s cross country team has been named Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Athlete of the Week for the sport of cross country, it was announced Monday by PSAC league officials.

Turak, a native of Erie, Pa., was the top Division II runner at the University of Notre Dame Catholic Invitational, running the course in 17:36, which marked a school best for that distance. Turak, the only non-Division I finisher in the top-10, was only three seconds off the pace of Notre Dame's Lindsey Ferguson, who successfully defended her meet title. In a field of 260 runners, Turak's time was 20 seconds better than the third-place finisher and over 1:16 seconds better than the closest non-Division I competitor.

The women's cross country team returns to action in two weeks, when the Lakers take on the Slippery Rock Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 3 in Slippery Rock, Pa.