Over the course of a student-athlete's collegiate career, most grow and develop on the field of competition or as a leader within their team. University of South Alabama cross country runner Warno Potgieter has certainly turned himself into one of the top male cross country runners in the Sun Belt Conference since arriving on campus three years ago, but the junior has seen the most personal growth this fall as a leader, which has helped the Jaguar men develop into a contender for next month's Sun Belt Conference Championships.
Potgieter – a native of Benoni, Gauteng, South Africa – arrived at South in time for the 2017 indoor and outdoor track seasons, and like a lot of international student-athletes, the early transition was tough for the first few months as he was away from his family who was on the other side of the globe.