Bailey gives Nanooks back-to-back GNAC XC Athlete of the Week
Naomi Bailey
After not having a women’s GNAC Cross Country Runner of the Week for almost a decade, the University of Alaska Fairbanks has claimed two in a row.
Fairbanks’ own Naomi Bailey took home this week’s honor to give the Nanooks back-to-back recipients after another Fairbanks runner, Kendall Kramer, won week one.
Bailey, of West Valley High fame, bagged her first college win at the Seawolf Throwdown in Anchorage after the freshman clocked a 6-K time of 22:37.8.
She won by a whopping 45 seconds over teammate Rosie Fordham as the Nanooks beat the Seawolves for the second time in two weeks after never having defeated UAA previously in school history.
“We’re all very proud of Naomi,” UAF assistant coach Josh Sanderlin said. “The women have all done a fantastic job of developing chemistry and lifting each other to new heights.”
Bailey is the reigning Gatorade Alaska Cross Country Runner of the Year who swept state and region titles as a high school senior.