Benzegala's Season Just Keeps Getting Better

MOORHEAD, Minn. (4/15/14)—Alex Benzegala's senior season just keeps getting better. Three days after setting personal best marks in the 200 and 400 meters, Benzegala was named the MIAC Track Athlete of the Week.

It is the first time in his career that Benzegala has earned the conference weekly award. He is the only Cobber athlete to win the award in 2014 and first since fellow sprinter Ben Vickstrom earned the weekly honor on May 7 of last year.

Benzegala had a career meet at the NDSU Bison Open on Saturday. He posted the top time in the MIAC this season in the 400 meters and the second fastest time in the 200 meters. Both finishing times were personal records for the team captain from Gig Harbor, Wash.

If the setting and results weren't dramatic enough, the back story behind Benzegala's race in the 400 meters is right out of Hollywood. Benzegala made a promise to run a sub 50-second 400 meters to honor a friend who had passed away in the eighth grade. His dream goal finally came true at NDSU when he clocked a 49.59.

His finishing time in the 400 meters is tops in the conference this season by .05 of a second.

Benzegala then capped his Super Saturday by clocking a 22.54 in the 200 meters which betters his previous season best by .92 of a second. He was the only non-Division I or II runner top post a pair of top 10 finishes at the meet.

Benzegala will return to competition when he, and the rest of his Concordia teammates, host the Cobber Twilight Meet on Tuesday, Apr. 22 at 3 p.m.