Megan Auger of Macalester College (Minn.) has been named the 1999 NCAA Division III Central Region Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Year. The United States Track Coaches Association and Mondo Surfacing selects and presents the award annually to the top athlete in each of the eight NCAA Division III women's cross country regions. The announcement is held in conjunction with the NCAA Division III Championship, which is hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh on Nov. 20.

Auger, a senior from Eden Prairie, Minn., won the individual title at the Central Regional on Nov. 13 to help Macalester College qualify as a team entrant for the NCAA Division III Championship. The political science major won the Central Regional title with a time of 18:20 on the 5,000-meter course. The Scots finished second at the 24-team Central Regional with 98 points. Earlier this year, Auger finished sixth at the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship.

Last year, Auger helped the Scots to a 15th-place finish at the NCAA Division III Championship.