Senior Bryan Wilcox posted his second straight All-East Region performance today, as he placed eighth overall in 31:41.9. |
Skyhawks advance to NCAA Championship for 12th consecutive season
NASHUA, N.H. (November 22, 2014) – Led by All-Region performances from its five seniors, the Stonehill College men's cross country team, ranked No. 25 in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division II poll, and ranked second in the East Region, turned in a runner-up finish today at the NCAA East Region Championship, held at Mine Falls Park in Nashua, New Hampshire, and hosted by Franklin Pierce University and Merrimack College.
Stonehill advances to its 12th consecutive NCAA Championship, which will be held this year on December 6th as part of the NCAA Fall Festival at the E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Kentucky.
Senior Bryan Wilcox (Plantsville, Connecticut/Southington), who registered the third All-Conference effort of his career two weekends ago at the Northeast-10 Championship, led Stonehill today with his second straight All-East Region performance, as he placed eighth overall in 31:41.9 on the ten-kilometer course.
Classmate Dan Zawalich (Paxton, Massachusetts/St. John's), a second team All-NE-10 performer, collected his third consecutive All-Region honor after finishing 12th and clocking in at 31:55.4.
Seniors Michael Gendron (Lowell, Massachusetts/Lowell) and Dan Gordon (Plymouth, Massachusetts/Plymouth North) placed 21st and 24th, respectively, posting times of 32:22.6 and 32:27.4. Gendron, who opened his season with a third-place finish at the Shacklette Invitational, earns All-Region honors in the first East Region Championship race of his career. Gordon, who turned in All-Region efforts as both a freshman and sophomore before missing last season's meet, did so for the third time in his career today.
Stonehill received All-Region performances from each of its five seniors en route to a second place finish today. |
Rounding out Stonehill's five All-Region performers was senior Trent Fontanella (Pelham, New Hampshire/Bishop Guertin), who finished one spot behind Gordon in 25th overall with a career-best time of 32:29.1. Running in the third East Region Championship of his career, Fontanella earns All-Region honors for the first time.
Sophomore Joe Santo (Newburyport, Massachusetts/Newburyport) placed 40th and clocked in at 32:52.8, while classmate Tyler Henseler (Coventry, Rhode Island/Bishop Hendricken) recorded a time of 34:05.8, good for 76th overall. Both Santo and Henseler were competing in the first East Region Championship of their careers.
Stonehill, which won its third East Region title in program history last fall, placed second out of 28 teams today with 90 points. American International College finished first with 33 points, led by junior Mike Biwott, who claimed the individual title. Roberts Wesleyan College (95 points), Franklin Pierce University (110 points), and Adelphi University (146 points) rounded out the top five.
Stonehill head coach Karen Boen cited her team's senior leadership as a main factor in its success. "Having those five guys absolutely made a difference," Boen said. "We had a plan, and they orchestrated it perfectly. They were patient, and they did what they needed to do in order for us to be successful. I couldn't be more proud of the way everyone stepped up."
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