PORTLAND, Ore. --- Redshirt seniors Nick Hauger and Lauren LaRocco have been named the U.S Bank Student-Athletes of the month for October, after their incredible finishes at the 2018 WCC Championship and at the NCAA Pre National meet.
 
Both Pilots played key roles in the men's and women's second place team finishes at the WCC Championships, which were held in Provo, Utah., on Oct. 27. Hauger out sprinted several BYU runners in the last few hundred meters to claim the individual title in 23:20.80, joining the long list of Portland individual title winners, the most recent Pilot being David Perry in 2014. In the women's race LaRocco ran tough with the top pack for the entire race, placing second overall in 19:51.90.
 
Hauger and LaRocco also produced exceptional finishes at the 2018 NCAA Pre National meet which was held on the Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course in Madison, Wis. Hauger led the then-No. 3 Portland men to a third place finish, hanging with the top pack the entire race and crossing the finish line in sixth with a time of 23:24.0. The Preseason USTFCCCA All-American's time was the fastest men's individual mark at the Nuttycombe in WCC history, and also marked the third straight year with a WCC runner finishing in the top-10 at the event. 
 
LaRocco helped lead the Portland women to their sixth place finish in Wisconsin with a seventh place finish, individually in 20:19.7. With the Pilot's sixth place finish at the meet, Portland moved up four spots in the USTFCCCA National rankings to No.19.
 
Hauger and LaRocco are also both ranked in FloTrack's top-25 individuals, with Hauger at No.7 and LaRocco at No.19.
 
Portland's men's and women's cross country teams will next be in action at the NCAA West Regional meet in Sacramento, Calif., on Friday November 9.
 
UP US Bank Student Athletes of the Month
-September: Benji Michel, Men's Soccer/ Taryn Ries, Women's Soccer
- October: Nick Hauger, Men's Cross Country/ Lauren LaRocco, Women's Cross Country