Skiles Named Top Runner in Peach Belt Conference

PEMBROKE, N.C. -- Columbus State's Meshack Koyiaki and Fidelis Mutiso were named the Peach Belt Conference men's co-Runners of the Year while CSU's Brittany Skiles was named the women's Runner of the Year at a banquet on the eve of the PBC Championships in Pembroke, N.C. Augusta State's Adam Ward was also named the women's Coach of the Year while CSU's J.D. Evilsizer was named the men's Coach of the Year.

Skiles was the top Columbus State runner in two of their three meets this season. She was named the PBC Runner of the Week on Sept. 28 after finishing fourth at the 20-team Mercer Invitational, beating all other PBC runners. The junior from Dawson, Ga., Finished in the top 10 in every race with a second at the CSU Cougar Invitational and 8th at the Berry Invitational. Skiles owns two of the top three fastest 5k times in the PBC this season. She is the second Lady Cougar to ever be named the PBC Runner of the Year, joining Isabel Speer who won in 2007.

Adam Ward collects his second straight women's PBC Coach of the Year award after leading the Augusta State Jaguars to a win and a pair of top-three finishes in 2009. Ward guided ASU to their first NCAA National Finals appearance in 2008 and started 2009 on the same path with a win at the PBC Pre-Conference meet. ASU was third at the UGA Stampede and their own Jaguar Invitational. ASU is currently ranked fifth in the southeast region.

Skiles and her teammates will be seeking a fifth consecutive PBC Championship on Saturday morning. The four straight titles are the most consecutive titles since Kennesaw State won seven in a row from 1994-2000.