OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 20, 2016) – For the first time in her career, Oklahoma Christian's Layne Hammer was named Tuesday as the Heartland Conference cross country runner of the week.

Hammer, a senior from Greeley, Colo., earned the honor with her performance on Saturday at the Missouri Southern Stampede in Joplin, Mo. She placed second among collegiate runners (fourth overall in the 193-woman field), covering the 5,000 meters in 17:38.96 – a career-best time by 35 seconds.

She helped the Lady Eagles place sixth out of 21 teams in the meet.

Hammer, who earned All-South Central Region honors last season, became the first OC student-athlete to receive a weekly Heartland award for the 2016-17 academic year.