Women's Cross Country | 01/19/24 | 2:24 PM
HELENA, Mont. - Carroll College Athletics is proud to present another installment of a celebration of our outstanding Fighting Saint student-athletes who model excellence in all they do, embodying the NAIA Champions of Character values of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership. Student-athletes from each program will be recognized as our Fighting Saints Champions of Character throughout the year. We are excited to partner with Intrepid Credit Union to sponsor this recognition of our student-athletes. Intrepid Credit Union is a corporate champion of Carroll Athletics, supporting our 15 sports and 400-plus student-athletes.
From the Women's Cross Country team, the first Champion of Character is Natalie Morgen.
Morgen is a Senior from Bend, Ore. who is majoring in Mathematics.
A captain of this season's Frontier Conference Champions, Morgen is a tremendous leader and role model for those on her team and around campus. She spends her free time helping tutor other students, and helping advance not only hers, but her peers' academic endeavors.
"It has been incredible to watch Nicole use her work ethic to improve and grow over four years at Carroll." Said her Head Coach, Shannon Flynn. "In particular, it has been fun to watch her step into a leadership role this year. She is so calm and supportive, and her teammates really look up to her."
Natalie has been an NAIA Nationals competitor for Cross Country in both 2022 & 2023, Frontier Conference Champion of Character in 2023, and has a top-10 time at Carroll for 10,000m Outdoor Track, as well as one of the top GPA's on the team.
"Nicole was our lone senior on the women's side this season, and she was an asset for the team." Said her teammate,
Madalen Shipman. "She showed up to practice everyday ready to work hard; I am so lucky I have gotten to be her teammate these past three years and co-captain this last season alongside her."
On the Men's Side,
Zach Rector is Morgen's co-Champion of Character.
Rector is a senior from Portland, Ore., majoring in Biology and Health Sciences.
He is his team's Captain, has been a top-five scorer consistently over the past several years, and is a steady leader for his squad. During his time at Carroll, he also founded the school's PA Club.
"Zach manages one of the toughest schedules on the team between his high mileage and difficult major, yet he still has some of the best recovery and attention to detail of any athlete I have seen." Said Flynn. "He is incredibly team oriented, and his commitment to improving himself and the program are unparalleled."
Rector has been named  All-Conference three years in a row, has a top 3 time at Carroll for 10,000 m, scored 6 points at last year's Frontier Outdoor Track Championships, finishing 4th place in both 10k and 5k, a tremendously difficult double.
"Zach is one of the hardest working student athletes I know." Said his teammate
James Normandeau. "He plays a big role in supporting the team culture."
Visit www.carrollathletics.com to stay up to date on everything going on in Carroll Athletics.
