PORTLAND, Ore. – Cross country runner Zak Kirk and women's soccer forward Nedya Sawan have been recognized as the U.S. Bank Student-Athletes of the Month for October.

Kirk earns the honor after helping the Pilots earn a bid for the NCAA Cross Country Championships and for being the top runner individually at several key events. He finished first for the Pilots at the NCAA West Regional, clocking in with a time of 29:47 in the 10,000-meter run. He finished 10^th overall.

He also earned All-WCC recognition at the WCC Championships back on Oct. 29, taking All-WCC First Team honors after finishing ninth overall in the 8,000-meter with a time of 23:48.3. That was a new PR for Kirk.

Sawan earns the honor after dominating on the field for women's soccer. In just the month of October she scored six goals for the Pilots, most notably putting together a two-goal performance against San Diego on Oct. 20. She finished the season with 12 goals in total, good for third in the WCC. Six of those goals were game-winners, which were the most in the conference.

Her 12 goals makes her just the third Pilot since 2012 to eclipse double-digit goals. All of this was good enough to help her earn All-WCC First Team honors.

Check out our full list of winners below.

2021-22 University of Portland U.S. Bank Student-Athletes of the Month
September: George Tasouris, Men's Soccer / Laura Pellicoro, Women's Cross Country
October: Zak Kirk, Cross Country / Nedya Sawan, Women's Soccer