CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) announced its 2024 Cross Country Runners of the Year on Wednesday, recognizing Kahea Figueira of the College of Idaho as the Women's Cross Country Runner of the Year and Daniel Butler, also of the College of Idaho, as the Men's Cross Country Runner of the Year. The College of Idaho swept these prestigious awards, much like they dominated many of the Runner of the Week honors throughout the season.
Figueira's Stellar Season
Figueira, a senior from Spokane, Wash., capped an outstanding collegiate career by leading the College of Idaho women's team to its sixth consecutive conference title and a seventh-place finish at the NAIA Championship. Her regular-season achievements included a victory at the CSI Classic and runner-up finishes at both the CCC Preview Meet and the Blazing Tiger Classic.
She earned three CCC Runner of the Week honors during the season and claimed the individual title at the CCC Championship with a time of 21:53.85. At the 2024 NAIA Cross Country Championships, Figueira led all CCC competitors, finishing 11th overall with a time of 21:14.1. Her performance earned her a second consecutive NAIA All-American honor.
Butler's Historic Run
Butler, a graduate student from Buhl, Idaho, concluded his collegiate career with a remarkable season, leading the College of Idaho men's team to both a conference title and the program's first NAIA National Championship.
During the regular season, Butler dominated the competition, winning every meet he entered, including the CCC Preview Meet, Charles Bowles Invitational, and the Blazing Tiger Classic. His efforts earned him three CCC Runner of the Week honors and two NAIA Runner of the Week awards.
In the postseason, Butler continued to shine, winning the CCC Championship with a time of 24:12.88 and securing a sixth-place finish at the NAIA National Championship with a time of 23:54.1. The performance earned him his third NAIA All-American accolade and cemented his status as the top runner in the conference.
About the Cascade Collegiate Conference
The Cascade Collegiate Conference is dedicated to providing student-athletes with a platform to excel both academically and athletically. The CCC spans multiple states and features some of the top small-college programs in the country.
