Men’s Cross Country Repeats as ECC Champs

The C.W. Post Cross Country team hosted the East Coast Conference Championship meet this past weekend. Both squads performed at a high level but the men dominated the 8K race and for the second straight year, which allowed them to capture the ECC Championship title.

Leading the men was freshman Christian Altamura who placed 4^th overall with a time of 26:04. The second Pioneer to cross the finish line was graduate student Vince Giambanco who placed 6^th overall with a time of 26:18. Third for the men’s squad was freshman Joe Lasher who placed 8^th overall and ran a personal best time of 26:27. Taking the 9th, 10^th, and 11^th place spots were sophomore Matt O’Keefe (26:53), sophomore Ray Coyle (26:55), and sophomore TJ Speicher (26:55). The Pioneers’ 7^th man was Mike Fitzsimmons who placed 45^th overall with a time of 31:01.

Overall the men had six All-Conference award winners. In addition, Lasher, Coyle, and Speicher all ran personal best times. “Everything clicked on the men’s side today and it was big for us to repeat as conference champions,” commented head coach Rob Morris, who was named ECC Men’s Cross Country Head Coach of the year for the second consecutive year. “Now we move on to the Regional Championship meet where we plan on making a big statement.”

On the women’s side the Lady Pioneers placed 4^th overall. Finishing first in the 5K race for the women was freshman Jenn McLaughlin who placed 9^th overall with a time of 20:36. McLaughlin earned second team All-Conference honors for her performance. Coming in second for the women was sophomore Caitlin Smith who placed 16^th overall with a time of 21:05. Freshman Karissa Chiantella was the third lady Pioneer to finish with a time of 21:15, placing 18^th overall.

The next to cross the finish line was graduate student Erin Lusenkas placing 24^th overall with a time of 21:34. The fifth finisher for Post was freshman Sara Mclaughlin who placed 27^th with a time of 22:01. Right behind her was freshman Angelica Price who ran 22:05 and placed 28^th overall. Rounding out the top seven for the women was junior Angelia Pereira who placed 41^st overall with a time of 23:23. “Both the men and women gave everything they had today,” stated Erin Lusenkas. “They should be proud.”

The C.W. Post Cross Country team will be back in action on November 21^st when they compete in the Division II Cross Country Northeast Regional Championship meet held in Boston, Massachusetts.