XC Teams Secure 4th Consecutive Title
For the fourth consecutive year, the ESF Cross Country teams brought home the United States Collegiate Athletic Association National Championship titles. The meet was held Sunday November 10th in Uniontown, PA.
ESF is the only school in United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) history to win four consecutive titles in the same sport for both women's and men's teams.
The Penn State Fayette XC course featured very challenging hills. In the 6k women's race, ESF won with 20 points, coming in ahead of Colorado Mountain College, 71 points. The ESF team had six runners finish in the top 10: Margaret Ryan (23:54.6), Bryce Hopper (24:04.3), third, Katie Richardson (24:39.9), fifth; Maura O'Brien (24:50.9), seventh; Tee Atwater (24:59.6), eighth; and Mary Roach (25:43), 10th. Ryan's time places her 13th all time fastest 6k for the Oaks while Hopper gets in at 15 (all time 6k).
Women harriers named to the 1st team All American were Ryan, Hopper, Richardson, and O'Brien. Second team All American runners were Atwater, Roach and Heather Cecco, 14th.
In the 8k men's race, the Mighty Oaks secured victory with 29 points, putting them 37 points ahead of second place finishers Johnson & Wales (NC). Three ESF runners finished in the top 10: Colin Flannery, (28:15.8), third; Korben Anderson (28:37.7), fourth; and Aidan Watts (29:05.8), seventh.
Runners named to the All American first team were Flannery, Anderson and Watts. Receiving 2nd team All American honors were Hayden Bregg, 12th; and Dan Mack, 14th.
"We entered the cross country season having lost a lot of our top runners to graduation for both the men and women including our top three men runners from last year's nationals team," said Coach Mike Melfi. " Our main focus coming into the season was nationals from day one of practice. Both teams did a tremendous job staying focused all season. We totally peaked today! To win four in a row - both men and women - is not only a USCAA record but an amazing accomplishment. Both teams worked hard for this record."