Duval Times

Florida State University issued the following announcement on Dec. 7.

Adriaan Wildschutt was named the ACC Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year on Tuesday in a vote by the league’s head coaches.

The Ceres, South Africa, native put together one of the best seasons in school history in 2021, finishing sixth in the 10k at the NCAA Championships after winning the South Region and ACC titles.

All told, Wildschutt won five races throughout the year, tying the school record set by Herb Wills in 1981.

Wildschutt is the first male athlete from Florida State to earn ACC Runner of the Year.

“This is an incredible honor for Adriaan,” FSU head coach Bob Braman said. “He’s just completed one of the most successful cross country seasons in Florida State history and this award is a great topping to it.”

In addition, Wildschutt repeated as the USTFCCA Men’s South Region XC Athlete of the Year. He is the only Seminole in school history to earn this honor multiple times.

“Success is not beating everyone else, but rather conquering personal limitations,” Wildschutt said. “This award is definitely a privilege. I wouldn’t have thought I would be able to win before I started competing in the ACC, just because it’s such a deep conference. My teammates and coaches were a large part of me winning this honor.”

Wildschutt earned his second All-American honor behind a top 10 finish at the NCAA Championships, after taking sixth in the 10k with a time of 28:52.0, which was a personal best and is also the sixth-fastest time in Apalachee Regional Park history.

He became the first male athlete in FSU history to record back-to-back top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships.

One week prior, Wildschutt ran the fastest South Regional 10k in its history, winning with a mark of 29:07.11.

Wildschutt’s victory at the ACC Championships was just the third individual title in school history in the 8k. He finished 16 seconds ahead of the next runner to take gold with a time of 23:07.

Wildschutt drew national attention after every race, earning the USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Men’s Athlete of the Week twice along with ACC Performer of the Week four times which is a program record.

After superb races at Apalachee Regional Park, Wildschutt now holds the third-fastest collegiate 8k time (22:49.4) and the sixth-fastest collegiate 10k time (28:52.0) in course history.

For more information on Florida State cross country, follow Twitter @FSU_Track and Instagram @FSU_Track.

Original source can be found here.