Liberty League Release | RPI Athletics Fanshop

TROY, N.Y. - The Liberty League has once again recognized Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) student-athlete Grant O'Connor, who has been selected as the Men's Cross Country Performer of the Week for the second consecutive time. He captured this week's award after earning National All-America for the third time in his career on Saturday.

At the NCAA Division III Championship in Winnecone, Wis., O'Connor (West Hartford, CT / Hall) was first on the team and 23rd overall to earn his school record third career All-America certificate. He ran the 8K course in 24:52.9, which was just over a second from a top 20 finish (24:51.4). His mile pace was 5:00.4 as he helped Rensselaer tie the school mark for its highest finish - 13th place. The Engineers compiled 399 points, which was only nine behind 12th place University of Chicago.

A senior, O'Connor finished fourth in 2017 and 25th in 2016.

In his five meets before Saturday, the electrical engineering major had a victory, two runner-up finishes, a fifth and an eighth place spot. He won the NCAA Division III Atlantic Region Championship individual title on November 10, finishing in 26:00.8, a victory of nearly five seconds over the runner-up (26:05.5). The win, which came in a field of 307 competitors, helped the Engineers finish first (26 points) and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship. O'Connor was honored with a weekly award from the conference following that performance and was later selected as the Atlantic Region Athlete of the Year.