AAC Names Bienenfeld XC Male Athlete of the Week

CINCINNATI - Following a victorious run in his season debut, University of Cincinnati senior Aaron Bienenfeld has been selected as the American Athletic Conference Male Cross Country Athlete of the Week the league announced today. Bienenfeld, who captured the individual crown at the 2019 Rhodes Invitational over the weekend in Memphis, Tenn., earned his second career weekly accolade from the AAC after earning the same award October 2, 2018.

// FAST TIMES
Bienenfeld led the charge for the men as he broke the tape in 24:10.1 to win the 8,000m race by over 11 seconds. Bienenfeld, who was followed by six runners from other AAC schools, won his first collegiate race for the Bearcats and posted his best individual finish since taking third at last year's AAC Championships. His second-fastest time in the distance behind only the 23:56.8 he ran last year in Louisville to earn this same award, Bienenfeld has now raced seven times in cross country for the Bearcats and has placed in the Top 10 five times.

// AWARD HISTORY
With his award this week, Bienenfeld becomes the first UC athlete (male or female) to earn multiple weekly awards in cross country from the American since the league's beginning in 2013. Last year, Andrew Schille was the first UC runner to earn an AAC weekly award after capturing the title at the Queen City Invitational with Bienenfeld following up one month later with his honor from the AAC. Historically, prior to Schille's honor, the last time a UC runner had been honored came in 2011 when Eric Finan was named the Big East Cross Country Runner of the Week on October 18 after he finished third at the NCAA Pre-National meet.

// NEXT MEET
Cincinnati will be back in action October 5 when they venture to Louisville, Ky., for the Live In Lou XC Classic at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park. The race assignments and starting times will be released next week.