COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- The Ohio Valley Conference has selected Tennessee Tech senior Stephanie Place as the league's Female Runner of the Week, the third time this year that the Golden Eagle distance runner has captured the honor during this cross country season.

Place has run three races this season, and earned the league's Runner of the Week award all three times. She has finished first two times, and was runnerup by seven seconds in the other event.

A Nursing major from Bristol, Tenn., Place won her second race of the year by running away from the field in the TTU Cross Country Invitational last Friday at Southern Hills Golf Course. Place covered the 5K course in 18:00, which was the fifth fastest time in Tech history and the second fastest time this season in the OVC.

Her winning time was more than a minute faster than the second place finisher, as she beat the field of 60 runners. Her effort helped Tennessee Tech to a second place team finish.

Place, who has now produced the eight fastest 5K times in Tech women's cross country history, will lead the Golden Eagles this weekend when the women's and men's teams run at the Evansville Invitational.