KENNESAW, Ga. - Jordan Hand has been named the Owl of Excellence for the month of October.

The Owls of Excellence Award was instituted in August of 2012 and established to recognize Kennesaw State student-athletes who excel in their chosen sport, in the classroom, and provide service to the community. A different student-athlete is honored and featured monthly on the Department of Athletics' website, KSUOwls.com.

Hand is a sophomore on the cross country team, who has a 3.5 GPA and leads the cross country team with 12 hours of community service during this fall semester.

He is the sole returner and leader of the men's cross country team. The Snellville, Georgia native ran his lifetime best time in the 5K in 16:08.57 at the Front Runner Invitational. He would follow that up with a lifetime best time of 26:37.93 in the 8k at the A-Sun Championships helping a very young men's team to a fifth place finish.

Hand and three of his teammates will participate in the NCAA Cross Country South Regionals on Friday, Nov.13 at Harry Pritchett Running Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.