Oct. 18, 2011
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Alexa Rogers is having a memorable season. The Commodore senior, who has paced her team to stand-out finishes twice this season in meets that have both propelled Vanderbilt into national rankings for the first time in school history, was named SEC’s Athlete of the Week.
She is the second Commodore to be honored by the SEC. Teammate Jordan White has also received an SEC nod this season.
“Very proud of Alexa and the whole team in general. Alexa’s worked really hard this season and has established herself as really at a new level,” said assistant coach Rhonda Riley. “I think it’s just an accumulation of each year she is hungry, and she is improving and she wants it really bad, to be a senior and accomplish these goals. Alexa is one of our team captains and she leads by example in everything she does.”
Rogers’ 17th place finish at the Wisconsin-Adidas Invitational this past weekend helped lead the Commodores to second place in a field of 44 teams and over 300 runners. She set a new personal best with her time of 20:32, nearly 30 seconds faster than her previous 6K best.
The Commodores also jumped in the national polls this week following Rogers and the rest of her team’s performance at the Wisconsin meet. Vanderbilt first broke into the Top-30 poll on September 27th following a strong effort at the Roy Griak Invitational. Out of the Top-30 but receiving votes last week, the Commodores vaulted to No. 3 in the nation this week, thanks to Rogers’ and her fellow teammates’ efforts in Wisconsin.