LEBANON, Tenn.--The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association announced their 2022 Cross Country Athletes of the Year on Friday. Freshman, Jason Bowers was named the South Region's Men Athlete of the Year after his spectacular freshman season. 

Bowers has had an incredible freshman season winning five-of-six races he has run races this season and has been named the NAIA Runner of the Week four times this season while setting a new program record for 8K times and setting two-course records. 

He was named the Mid-South Conference Freshman of the Year and Runner of the Year, which are both firsts in the program's history. Last season, Praise Idamadudu became the first Cumberland Athlete to earn USTFCCCA Athlete of the Year honors in women's track, but Bowers became the first cross country athlete to earn the disbursement. 

Bowers and Denis Kipligat are set to compete at the NAIA National Championships in Tallahassee, Florida on Friday, November 18. He is seeking the first individual red banner for Cumberland Cross Country in program history. 

Award winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches. Only those individuals from USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for awards.