SUNNYVALE, Calif. – UC Santa Barbara senior Zach Parker has been named Big West Athlete of the Week for the third time this regular season, marking him as a frontrunner heading into the Big West Championships. 

With a commanding performance at the Bronco Invitational, Parker took first place out of 180 finishers, clocking a personal-best time of 23:43.4 on the men's 8K course. His victory led the Gauchos to a second-place team finish out of 18 programs. Parker's impressive mark also ranks sixth all-time in UCSB performances for the men's 8K, solidifying his dominant finish in program history.

Next up, the Gauchos head to O'ahu for the Big West Championships, hosted by the University of Hawai'i on Oct. 31. After an impressive regular season, UC Santa Barbara aims to climb the conference standings and earn a qualification for NCAA Regionals. The meet will kick off with the men's 8K at 10:30 a.m. PT, followed by the women's 6K at 11:30 a.m. PT, with the awards ceremony scheduled for 12:30 a.m. PT.