IRVINE, Calif. – Lucy Milliner capped off her stellar debut collegiate cross country season by earning Big West Freshman of the Year honors Wednesday, the conference announced.
 
Milliner is the first Hawai'i cross country athlete to win an individual postseason award in UH's 24 seasons in the Big West, and just the second Rainbow Wahine athlete ever to claim a postseason award (Cheryl Smith, 2001 WAC Athlete of the Year).
 
The native of Woodbury, England was the highest finishing freshman at the Big West Championships earlier this month, coming in ninth with a time of 20:24.20. Milliner also earned All-Big West honors in the process, becoming the first UH runner to receive all-conference honors since 2016 (Camille Campos).
 
Milliner turned in consistent efforts all season, placing in the top 10 in five of the six meets and crossing the line as Hawai'i's top finisher three times. The freshman also moved into the top three all-time at UH at both the 5k and 6k distances, running a 20:15.20 in the 6k at the UCR Invitational to take over second all-time while running the third-fastest 5k in school history in 17:09.80 at the Charles Bowles Invitational.