St. Thomas senior Ben Sathre put the men’s cross country team on the map when he was crowned the national champion in November 2011.

When Sathre’s sister convinced him to run cross country six years ago, he never imagined a national championship stood within reach.

“It’s indescribable. It’s an incredible feeling,” Sathre said.

Each week Sathre trains by running 85 to 90 miles and his coach, Peter Wareham, said that his success is because of his focus and determination.

“If it’s snowy out, he’s out there running. If it’s 10 below, he does it,” Wareham said. “When everyone else is in sleeping or they kind of shut their alarm off and hit the snooze button, he doesn’t do that.”

Sathre’s determination has carried over into the indoor track and field season. Last week, it was announced that Sathre was one of 17 male collegiate track and field athletes mentioned for the first 2012 Bowerman Award watch list. He’s the lone non-scholarship runner on the list and one of just six distance runners.

At last Saturday’s U of M Jack Johnson Invite, Sathre ran a 8:07.02 time in the 3,000 meters, the fastest 3,000 time in 2012 by a Division III runner. Sathre’s time broke a 27-year-old St. Thomas record of 8:24 held by none other than Wareham.

On Monday, Sathre was selected MIAC men’s Track Athlete of the Week — his sixth career MIAC weekly honor in cross country and track, but he said that his goals are not just individual.

“Get a couple more school records and maybe a couple more national championships, and if we can get on the podium as a team at nationals that’d be incredible,” Sathre said.

After this entrepreneurship major graduates this May, he hopes running continues to be an integral part in his life. Wareham said he is confident that Sathre will move on to bigger and better things.

“I think he’ll be an Olympic trials guy for sure,” Wareham said “Might even be able to do better and make a U.S. team in like the U.S. or world cross country team.”

Olivia Cronin can be reached at cron2722@stthomas.edu.