The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Men’s Cross Country’s Torres named USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week
09.14.2026 | Track & Field / Cross Country
Sophomore becomes the first Longhorn to earn the national cross country honor.
NEW ORLEANS – Texas sophomore Aidan Torres has been named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division I Men's National Athlete of the Week, the organization announced Monday. Torres is the first Longhorn to earn the national honor for cross country.
Torres earned the recognition after winning the men's 8K at the Texas A&M Invitational on Friday at Watts Cross Country Course in College Station. He finished in 23:53.1 to earn his second consecutive individual victory after winning the Floyd Farms Invitational on Sept. 4.
Torres led Texas to a second-place team finish at the Texas A&M Invitational with 58 points. Kai McCullough finished seventh in 24:18.6, followed by Joaquin De La Cruz in 12th at 24:37.5. Hudson Bennett placed 16th in 24:52.1, while Zain Hamdani finished 22nd in 25:06.6 and Griffen Saacke was 33rd in 25:21.3.
At the Floyd Farms Invitational, Torres led a Texas sweep of the top seven individual spots and finished the 3.11-mile course in 16:15.3. The Longhorns posted a perfect score of 15 points to win the team competition.
A USTFCCCA All-Region selection, Torres won the men's 8K championship race at the 2025 USATF U20 Cross Country Championships and represented the United States at the 2025 World Athletics Cross Country Championships.
The Longhorns return to action Sept. 25 at the Gans Creek Classic in Columbia, Missouri.
