AMHERST, N.Y. -- Daemen University men's cross country senior CJ Johnson (Baltimore, Md.) was named the East Coast Conference Male Runner of the Week after the first week of cross country action. 

Johnson, the 2026 ECC Preseason Runner of the Year, picked up right where he left off from his incredible junior season, leading the Wildcats and finishing second overall at the season-opening Doug Watts Open on Saturday. The senior finished just four seconds behind the top finisher with a time of 19:54.6 over the 6K race. It marked the second-fastest career 6K for Johnson. Running as a pack in the meet, Daemen placed fourth as a team. 

Daemen is off for the next three weeks before resuming the season at the Harry F. Anderson Invitational in Rochester, N.Y. on Sept. 26.