MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Freshman Lena Parker of the Auburn University at Montgomery women's cross country team has been named Warhawk of the Week, as announced by the AUM Athletics Department on Thursday afternoon.
Parker's Week
Freshman Lena Parker delivered a standout performance at the 2026 Gulf South Conference (GSC) Cross Country Championships in Nashville, Tennessee, finishing 16th overall with a personal-best time of 22:13.80. Her performance earned her Second Team All-GSC honors and helped the Warhawks make program history with a fourth-place team finish, matching the program's best showing at the conference championships, previously achieved in 2022.
Parker's time established a new AUM freshman record in the event, improving on her previous best of 22:53.00. She also moved into fifth place on the program's all-time performance list, adding another milestone to an impressive freshman campaign.
The freshman has been one of AUM's top three finishers in all six meets this season, providing consistent contributions throughout the year. Her All-GSC selection also marked part of a historic championship effort, as the Warhawks had multiple women's runners earn All-GSC honors at the same meet for the first time in program history.
Season Snapshot
Parker has made an immediate impact in her freshman campaign, consistently ranking among the Warhawks' top finishers while setting multiple program records. She opened the season with a sixth-place individual finish at the Montevallo Falcon Classic, helping AUM capture the team title.
She later earned GSC Freshman of the Week honors after placing 17th at the Kennemer Classic with a personal-best 5K time of 18:52.80, breaking her own AUM freshman record by more than 15 seconds.
Parker continued to build on that success at the UAH Chargers Cross Country Invitational, recording a personal-best 6K time of 22:53.00 in her first collegiate race at that distance. The mark established a new AUM freshman record and ranked ninth in program history. She capped off the season with another record-setting performance at the GSC Championships, lowering her 6K best to 22:13.80 and moving into fifth place on AUM's all-time list. Through six meets, Parker has finished among the Warhawks' top three runners in every race, earning Second Team All-GSC honors and helping AUM tie its best-ever conference championship finish.
Up Next
Parker and the Warhawks will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 21, competing at the John Hunt Park XC Course in Huntsville, Alabama.
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