Chicago, Ill. - Sophia Halama of women's cross country and track and field, and Nicholas Raden of men's swimming and diving are the recipients of Scarlet Hawk of the Week honors for the week of August 4th.

Halama, a senior Architecture major from Hudson, Wisconsin, made history for Illinois Tech this past fall, becoming the program's first-ever All-NACC selection in women's cross country. She placed 10th overall at the 2024 NACC Championships with a time of 24:17, leading the Scarlet Hawks. Halama was a top team  finisher all fall and served as a model of consistency and leadership on and off the course. "Sophia's incredible fall season, culminating in becoming the first NACC All-Conference selection in our program's history, is a testament to her relentless work ethic, leadership, and belief in the team," said Head Coach Tyler McQuality. "We are beyond proud of her, and her success sets the foundation for what's to come. This is just the beginning—for Sophia and for the entire squad—as we build on this momentum heading into the new season."

Raden, a junior Civil Engineering major from Wilmington, Delaware, delivered two standout performances in January that highlighted his growing role in the Scarlet Hawk swim program. On January 11, he helped Illinois Tech's "B" relay team to a first-place finish in the 200-yard medley relay at the home dual meet, teaming with Chance, Novak, and Turberg to post a winning time of 1:42.74. The following week, on January 18 at the Illinois Wesleyan Triangular Meet, Raden placed third in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:07.23, one of his top times of the season in that event. "Nick did an amazing job training and racing this year after having a small setback last year," said Head Coach Kate Chronic. "Each competition showcased his continued improvement in several different events. It was great to see him swim so well, and I'm excited to see where he goes over the next two years!"