KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After putting together a historic, record-breaking performance at the Missouri Southern Stampede on Saturday, junior Mohamed Guled from the MACU Men's Cross Country team has been named the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NAIA Men's Athlete of the Week.

It is the first time in the history of MACU's Cross Country programs that a student-athlete has received the esteemed honor.

In Saturday's meet ran at the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course in Joplin, Mo., history was made when Guled crossed the finish line in 23:00.6, breaking the course's 10-year-old mark that was previously held by MSSU's Vincent Kiprop, who notched a 23:18.5 in 2016.

On-top of winning his second race in three weeks for the Evangels, Guled shattered MACU's 8k record that was previously held by Jaden Rodriguez, who set a 25:16.1 at the SAC Championships in Bethany, Okla. on Nov. 9, 2024.

With his first 8k time set of the 2026 season, Guled set by far and away the fastest time in the NAIA this season and is only one of two runners to run a sub 24-minute 8k with the other being Madonna's Mehdi Nait Hamoud (23:54.6).

Two weeks prior, Guled broke MACU's 4-mile record when he won the Rogers State Distance After Dark on Sept. 3 at the Mohawk Sports Complex in Tulsa, Okla.

In that race, Guled posted a 19:12.7, breaking the previous record set by Lucky Maila when he ran a 20:40.4 at last year's Distance After Dark. The mark is also a minute better than the second-fastest time in the NAIA of 20:22.7 by Lawrence Tech's Graeson Lawrence.

Guled broke the RSU course record, which was previously held by Oklahoma Baptist's Maxamillian Wheeler when he posted a 19:33.5 in the first ever Distance After Dark in 2023.