The Master’s University Cross Country and Track & Field runners Arianna Ghiorso and Davis Boggess were named recipients of the Cliff Hamlow Champions of Character Award, as presented by the Golden State Athletic Conference.

The award, named after former GSAC Commissioner Cliff Hamlow, is given to a male and female student-athlete from each GSAC institution who are a junior or above academically with at least a 3.0 GPA.

Recipients achieve at a high level athletically and academically, demonstrate campus and community leadership and model the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics five core values of respect, responsibility, integrity, sportsmanship and servant leadership.

The soon-to-be-married couple of Ghiorso and Boggess are key reasons why TMU Cross Country has turned into one of the premier distance programs in the NAIA. Ghiorso is a two-time NAIA women’s cross country All-American, while Boggess is the back-to-back GSAC men’s cross country individual champion.

With Ghiorso leading the way, the TMU women have won consecutive GSAC titles for the first time and posted their highest-ever finish at nationals, while Boggess has been a leading figure in the past four of a GSAC record 12-straight conference titles for the Mustang men.

Each has carried their talents onto the track as well, picking up second place finishes at NAIA Championships this spring to earn All-American honors. Ghiorso, who placed 12th in the women’s 5K at outdoor nationals, was part of a runner-up distance medley relay team in indoor before Boggess finished as runner-up in the men’s 5K at the outdoor national championships.

Academically, Ghiorso (3.62 GPA) and Boggess (3.92 GPA) are both GSAC and NAIA Scholar-Athletes. Boggess was recently selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 4 NAIA Men’s Track & Field/Cross Country Team.

Ghiorso served as women’s team captain since her freshman year, while Boggess has led by example throughout his Mustang tenure.