PORTLAND, Ore. --- After the Pilots' first place performance at last weekend's West Regional meet, head men's cross country coach Rob Conner has been named the West Region coach of the year and sophomore Emmanuel Roudolff-Levisse the Male West Region Athlete of the Year.

Conner, who was awarded The Dean Miller Award, is in his 28th year at Portland. He coached the Pilots to the 2017 West Region title with just 63 points and the Pilots have earned as high as No.3 in the USTFCCCA national polls this year. Conner has won the award four other times during this time at UP, including 1993, 2007, 2012, and 2014 when the team placed third at the National meet.
 
Roudolff-Levisse, a sophomore from Verrieres-le-Buisson, France, pulled away from the pack at the West Region to win the individual title in 29:33.1. He also placed 11th at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational where the Pilots came second to No.1 Northern Arizona and jumped from No.25 to No.3 in the national poll.
 
"Manu has obviously made an immediate impact," said Conner. "He is a fearless competitor that has elevated the confidence of the team. Working with Jeff and Nick, we feel we have as good of 1-2-3 punch as any team in the NCAA."