Athletics Home  Cross Country (M) 10/25/08 MEN'S CROSS-COUNTRY - Men Win Fifth Straight CACC Title Behind Vander Wiele
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10/25/08 MEN'S CROSS-COUNTRY - Men Win Fifth Straight CACC Title Behind Vander Wiele |
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 PHILADELPHIA – The Felician College men’s cross-country team placed five runners in the top 13 in winning the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference team title at the league championship meet on Saturday afternoon at Fairmount Park’s Belmont Plateau. It was the fifth consecutive conference championship for Felician and its seventh in the nine-year history of the event. Felician freshman James Vander Wiele (Pequannock, NJ/Pequannock Township) was the individual champion.
On a rainy, windy day, Vander Wiele traversed the 8,000-meter (5-mile) course in 26 minutes, 43 seconds, defeating 66 other entrants. He was named the CACC Runner of the Year and the CACC Rookie of the Year, the second consecutive season Felician has claimed each award.
"James is the best freshman we’ve ever had here,” said seventh-year Golden Falcon head coach John Brennan. “He ran a lot more miles this summer than he ever had before, and really took to it well. That’s why he’s come into his own.”
With 34 points, Felician, ranked No. 7 regionally, won the team title by 21 points over runner-up and event co-host University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.
 “This is a tough sport in that one day determines how your entire season is measured,” Brennan said. “More often than not we’ve been able to come through with good days on that day.”
All five Felician scorers attained all-CACC status, which is automatically accorded to the first 15 finishers. Joining Vander Wiele in the top five were 2007 Rookie of the Year Jay Rodgers (Westmont, NJ/Haddon Township), who crossed the line fourth in 27:33, and senior Alex Wright (Stockholm, NJ/Wallkill Valley), who came in fifth with a 27:47. Wright is believed Felician’s first four-time all-CACC performer.
Completing the all-league contingent were junior Brad Schepise (Milltown, NJ/Spotswood) (11th, 28:02), a third-time honoree, and sophomore Chris Harvey (Maplewood, NJ/Columbia) (13th, 28:08).
Also competing, and allowed to raise the point total of runners finishing behind them, were freshman John Wambui (Kenya) (17th, 28:22), and sophomore Huan Tran (Belleville, NJ/Belleville) (29:10).
Team Scores
Individual Results
RUNNER OF THE YEAR: James Vander Wiele, Felician
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: James Vander Wiele, Felician
COACH OF THE YEAR: Dave Thomas, Philadelphia
TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD: Bloomfield
Photos by Kirk Reed, CACC Asst. Commissioner |
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