St. Thomas sophomore Olivia Moll received MIAC Athlete of the Week on Sept. 16 for women’s cross country.

According to women’s cross country & track coach Joe Sweeney, Moll worked hard for this achievement even before coming to St. Thomas.

“She obviously came in (to St. Thomas) really ready and has shown to me that she’s motivated to take the next step,” Sweeney said.

Moll, an accounting major from Hammond, Wis., has been involved with cross country since sixth grade, when she was inspired by her older sister.

“My two older siblings both went to school at St. Thomas, and I knew I really wanted to keep on running,” Moll said. “ I thought joining the team would be a good idea.”

Moll placed first in the Luther All-American Invitational in Decorah, Iowa on Saturday, Sept. 14 in the 5k with a time of 18:55. This is a vast improvement from the same race last year where she took fifth place with a time of 19:15.

Moll feels good about where the team is going this season.

“For most of the race we’re all running together which is super awesome. We’re all training really well together, so that’s what I really like to see,” Moll said.

Sweeney noted her biggest asset to the team is having a “team-first” mindset, and that Moll is “cool under pressure, poised and quietly confident.”

“Every team, a lot of times, you look to your veterans to have those qualities and teach them to the younger ones,” Sweeney said. “But she seems to just naturally have those qualities.”

Justin Amaker can be reached at justin.amaker@stthomas.edu.