Felician Athletics - 9/30/08 MEN'S CROSS-COUNTRY - Men's Cross-Country Attains Regional Ranking

RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The Felician College men’s cross country-team is ranked No. 8 in the NCAA Division II East Region, according to the latest United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) rankings released today. It is believed to be the first such regional ranking in program history for either Felician cross-country program.

The Golden Falcons jumped into the rankings on the strength of their victory in the 19-team Belmont Classic last Saturday in Philadelphia. In just their second varsity event of the season, they out-pointed four other East Region schools, including Philadelphia University, ranked No. 9 regionally at the time of the race.

Under seventh-year head coach John Brennan, Felician has claimed the last four Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference titles. The five scorers for the Golden Falcons last Saturday were freshman James Vander Wiele (Pequannock, NJ/Pequannock Township), senior Alex Wright (Stockholm, NJ/Wallkill Valley), junior Brad Schepise (Milltown, NJ/Spotswood), freshman John Wambui (Mbita, Kenya), and sophomore Huan Tran (Belleville, NJ/Belleville).

Though it has the same name, the East Region has been re-aligned for 2008. While in past years the CACC joined with the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference to form the East, it now makes up the region along with the Northeast-10 and East Coast Conferences.

The Golden Falcons are next in action on Friday at the Lehigh University Paul Short Run. More information is available at ustfccca.cstv.com/ot/c-xc/08-regional-rankings.html.

USTFCCA D-II EAST REGION RANKING
September 30, 2008

1. Massachusetts Lowell
2. Stonehill
3. Southern Connecticut State
4. Adelphi
5. Bentley
6. Merrimack
7. Saint Rose
8. Felician
9. NYIT
10t. Assumption
10t. Le Moyne