Olivia Baker wins M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week

Monday September 8,  2025 - 4:00 p.m. | Dylan DeVlieger

Mesa Community College's Olivia Baker has been selected as the NJCAA Division II Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week after leading the Thunderbirds in back-to-back meets.

Baker opened the season as MCC's top finisher at the Early Bird Open, running 19:10 for 5k. She followed with a strong performance at the Lori Fitzgerald Memorial, posting a season-best 18:12.1 to finish as the top NJCAA Division II runner and second overall among junior college competitors in a field that featured NJCAA DI No. 3 New Mexico JC.

This marks the fifth time in program history a Mesa runner has earned the honor, joining Carmella Baldwin (2023), Kate Brockman (2022, twice), and Tanaeya Johnson (2021).