Sophomore Audrey Malloy of the High Point University women's cross country team has been named Big South Runner of the Week, the conference announced on Tuesday. Malloy led High Point with a seventh-place finish at the Blue Ridge Open last Friday.

Malloy had a breakthrough race at the Blue Ridge Open, finishing in a career-best 18:20.8 for the 5K in cross country. Malloy's previous best cross country 5K time was 18:52 at the Big South Preview at Quail Creek Golf Club in Conway, S.C., on Sept. 17.

Malloy's seventh-place finish spurred the Panthers to a third-place team showing in the Blue Ridge Open. High Point finished behind only Furman and Wake Forest. HPU defeated six Big South squads in the meet.

Sophomore Kayleigh Perry also had a strong showing in the Blue Ridge Open, placing 10th in 18:27.5, just off her career-best for 5K in cross country (18:23 at the Big South Preview).

The strong finish at the Blue Ridge Open lifted High Point to a No. 14 ranking in the USTFCCCA Southeast Region Rankings released on Monday. It was the first time HPU has been regionally ranked this season.

The Panthers will be back at the Quail Creek Golf Club on Oct. 29 when they race for the Big South Championship. High Point will be looking to improve on consecutive fourth-place finishes at the Big South Championship the last two seasons.