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Former Stanford All-American Chris Derrick has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after winning the USA Cross Country Championships 12-kilometer race in 35:36.6 on Saturday in St. Louis, Mo.

After multiple runner-up finishes at the NCAA championships, Derrick won his first national title in his first year as a professional athlete.

Derrick holds the American collegiate record in the 10,000 meters and was a 14-time NCAA Division I All-American while at Stanford. Derrick is now training under Jerry Schumacher in Portland, Ore.

Derrick will compete at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland on March 24.

"I'm excited to test myself against some of the best runners in the world," Derrick said. "I expect to be a bit over my head and to have to really struggle through, which I hope will give me perspective and help me grow as an athlete."

Now in its 12th year, USATF's Athlete of the Week program is designed to recognize outstanding performers at all levels of the sport. USATF names a new honoree each week and features the athlete on www.usatf.org. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week.

— Palo Alto Online Sports

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