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Academy of Art’s Amos Maru claims Runner of the Year honor
Academy of Art’s Amos Maru claims Runner, Newcomer of the Year honors
PHOENIX, AZ – Academy of Art
University sophomore runner Amos Maru (Nandi
Hills, Kenya) has been selected the Pacific West
Conference Men’s Cross Country Runner and
Newcomer of the Year for the 2009-10 athletic
season.
The PacWest men’s cross country awards were announced on Sunday, Aug. 1, 2010, by the conference media office in Phoenix, AZ.
Maru earned the twin honors after leading Academy of Art in all five of the races he contested this season, including a first-place finish at the PacWest Championship in a time of 25:17.
The next best result for the Urban Knights in the fall of 2009 was a second-place finish at the University of Washington Sundodger Invitational on Sept. 19. Academy of Art rode Maru to victory after he won the race in a time of 24:52.14.
Competing against some of the country's top runners at the Stanford Invitational on Sept. 26, Maru finished 16th in a time of 24:44 to lead the Urban Knights.
He twice was named the PacWest Runner of the Week (Sept. 21 & Oct. 5), while his victory in the conference championship also earned him All-PacWest First Team Honors.
The All-PacWest Team was previously announced in October immediately following the league’s championship race. Runners crossing the finish line in first through seventh place are dubbed First Team, while those finishing 8-14 are named Second Team.
Freshman of the Year honors were bestowed upon Grand Canyon’s Julio Zuniga (Phoenix, AZ/Trevor Browne) who grabbed the final All-PacWest slot during the league championship race. Inserted as the second runner most of the season for the Antelopes, Zuniga sparkled in his PacWest debut by finishing 14th overall and first among GCU entries. He was named All-PacWest Second Team for his efforts.
Academy of Art Head Coach Victor Hudson was named the PacWest Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year for leading the Urban Knights to their first conference crown in any sport.
Hudson joined the Urban Knights as both head track & field coach and head cross country coach for the 2009-10 campaign. He arrived at Academy of Art after six years as head coach of the track & field program at Menlo Atherton High School.
Under his tutelage, the Bears flourished, winning 10 Peninsula Athletic League (PAL) Championships. In 2007, the Central Coast Section recognized his achievements and named Hudson the Track and Field Coach of the Year.
Prior to taking the head coach position, Hudson was the assistant coach of sprints, hurdles and relays for five years. A certified fitness, strength conditioning coach, he also served as the strength and conditioning coach for all Menlo Atherton teams.
Hudson also boasts many years of basketball coaching experience in the Bay Area. From 2005-07, he served as an assistant coach and director of operations for the San Jose Ballers, Tri City Ballers and Tri Valley Titans of the International Basketball League (IBL).
Hudson played professional basketball in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) for the Wichita Falls Texans, Yakima Sun Kings, Tri City Chinooks, and Quad City Thunder. He also played for the Youngstown Pride of the World Basketball League and had tryouts with both the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers of the NBA. In addition, he participated in the NBA Pro/Am Summer League.
A Bay Area native, Hudson graduated from Menlo Atherton High School before attending the University of Arizona.
