Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina's Katherine Hopkins was today named the Southern Conference Runner of the Week, stemming from an outstanding weekend for the Catamounts at the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational.
The honor is the first career track & field weekly honor, and the second overall for Hopkins after claiming SoCon Cross Country Runner of the Week plaudits back in 2023. Hopkins is the fourth Catamount to earn a weekly SoCon honor this season, joining Ian Hicks, Kolton Weaver, and Lexie Durban in the accomplishment.
The weekly award comes after the junior put together a pair of strong performances in the mile and the 3,000m run at the Liberty-hosted meet. Hopkins took an event win in the 3000m on Friday night of the two-day meet as she was the only athlete with a sub 10:00 time in the open portion of the race, winning with a personal record 9:53.73 finish. She leapt up to third in the WCU all-time indoor top-five performance list in the event.
Additionally, she earned a second-place finish in the Mile on Saturday, doing so with a personal record 5:04.76 finish.
The Catamounts are back in action on Feb. 27-28 at the 2026 Southern Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships in Lexington, Va., hosted by VMI.
