Blade Named ACC Freshman of the Week

TALLAHASSEE – Florida State cross country student-athlete Rylee Blade was named the ACC Women's Freshman of the Week on Tuesday following her performance at the Sean Earl Lakefront Invite.

"Congrats to Rylee," FSU head coach Matt Kane said. "She had a great performance in Chicago. She races like a veteran and has untapped potential, so I feel like this is the first of many accolades to come in her career at FSU."

Blade continued to prove herself to be a top contender in the ACC and the nation. Blade took charge of the Seminoles after leading the team in the women's 6k and placed within the top three for the second consecutive week. Blade was the top freshman runner, placing third behind No. 2 NC State's Hannah Grapes and Bethany Michalak with a personal best time of 19:37.41. Out of 100 runners, Blade was also able to outlast six of the top 30 nationally ranked teams as a freshman, leading the women's team to a seventh-place overall finish after holding off No. 7 Providence, No. 21 Wisconsin, and No. 29 Minnesota.

"We're incredibly excited for Rylee to be named ACC Freshman of the Week," said FSU women's head coach Cody Halsey. "Her talent, work ethic, and character make her an exceptional teammate and person. It's been a blast so far watching her compete. This well-deserved honor is just the beginning of what we believe will be many more to come in her career."

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Florida State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Rylee Blade

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