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Holmdel, NJ -- The Blue Devil duo of Sam Alexander and Craig Hunt led Central Connecticut State to its third consecutive Northeast Conference Men’s Cross Country Championship title with a team total of 54 points. The race took place under rainy and cold conditions at Holmdel Park in Holmdel, NJ.
Individually Hunt outpaced the field of 101 competitors to notch the NEC Outstanding Performer award with a time of 25:59. Coming in just behind him was teammate Hunt (26:06) followed by Sacred Heart senior Jeffrey Lusignan (26:36). Mount St. Mary’s Dylan Bernard placed fourth with a time of 26:40 and Long Island senior Rogers Kipruto rounded out the top-five with a 26:42.
With the Blue Devils in the top spot Saint Francis fell into runner-up with a 67 team score. Mount Saint Mary’s and Monmouth tied for third place with matching 132 team scores. Robert Morris (163) rounded out the top-five.
Quinnipiac's score of 171 was good for sixth while Wagner complied a 173 for seventh. Sacred Heart’s 178 took eighth while St. Francis (NY) (185), Bryant (195), Long Island (305) and Fairleigh Dickinson (326) completed the 12-team field.
Also representing the Blue Devils on the All-Conference list was senior Jeremy Schmid in twelfth (27:11).
Saint Francis posted two harriers on the All-NEC team including Chris Mills who placed sixth with a time of 26:46 and Ryan Kennedy who notched a thirteenth place finish (27:16). Sacred Heart’s Chris Connelly also grabbed a spot on the All-Conference team with his seventh place finish (26:50) as did Robert Morris’ Tip Worob who place seventh. Worob was the first freshman to cross the line at this year’s championship meet and earned NEC Freshman of the Year accolades for his efforts. Right behind Worob was Monmouth freshman Khari Bowen who also notched an All-Conference nod after running to a 27:08 finish. St. Francis’ (NY) Paul Gilhuley, Wagner’s Zachary Spbector and Bryant’s David Hurley placed tenth (27:09), eleventh (27:10) and fourteenth (27:17), respectively to earn All–Conference accolades also.
2011 Men’s Cross Country All-Conference Team
1 #21 Alexander, Sam SR Central Connecticut 25:59.10 1
2 #26 Hunt, Craig JR Central Connecticut 26:06.90 2
3 #118 Lusignan, Jeffrey SR Sacred Heart 26:36.50 3
4 #70 Bernard, Dylan SR Mount St. Mary's 26:40.10 4
5 #39 Kipruto, Rogers JR Long Island 26:42.40 5
6 #149 Mills, Chris SR St. Francis (Pa.) 26:46.40 6
7 #114 Connelly, Christoph JR Sacred Heart 26:50.30 7
8 #107 Worob, Thomas FR Robert Morris 27:05.30 8
9 #49 Bowen, Khari FR Monmouth 27:08.20 9
10 #132 Gilhuley, Paul JR St. Francis (N.Y.) 27:09.00 10
11 #157 Spector, Zachary SR Wagner 27:10.70 11
12 #30 Schmid, Jeremy SR Central Connecticut 27:11.30 12
13 #146 Kennedy, Ryan FR St. Francis (Pa.) 27:16.30 13
14 #16 Hurley, David JR Bryant 27:17.30 14
NEC Outstanding Performer: Sam Alexander, Central Connecticut
NEC Freshman of the Year: Tip Worob, Robert Morris