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Bronx, NY -- Quinnipiac put on a dominating performance to win its second NEC Men's Cross Country title in the last three years on Friday afternoon at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, NY. Fairleigh Dickinson freshman Sam Chelanga (Nairobi, Kenya/Bartolimi Secondary) crossed the tape in the 8K event in 24:03 - nearly two minutes ahead of the next finisher - to win the individual crown.
With seven runners in the top-14 overall, Quinnipiac ran away with the victory, ending with 32 points. Monmouth (75) was the runner-up, with Mount St. Mary's (81) taking third. Central Connecticut State (130) finished fourth, followed in order by Robert Morris (173), Saint Francis (PA) (175), Wagner (213), Fairleigh Dickinson (221), St. Francis (NY) (223), Sacred Heart (225) and Long Island (238).
Chelanga (pictured) was named the NEC Outstanding Performer and NEC Freshman of the Year. Quinnipiac's Ed O'Connor was tabbed NEC Coach of the Year.
The Bobcats wound up sporting one-half of the All-Conference honorees. John Ciccarelli (Southbury, CT) nailed down second place with a time of 25:47.0, while Jacob Gurzler (Ballston Lake, NY) was not far behind in third place at 26:08.8. Michael Charron (Jewett City, CT) finished fifth on the day, with Anthony Mio (Staten Island, NY), and Matt Warren (Niantic, CT) claiming 10th and 11th place, respectively. Charron clocked a time of 26:14.3, while Mio and Warren were at 26:31.4 and 26:32.0. Nick Rezendes (Ledyard, CT) (13th) and Terence Moriarty (Rickville Centre, NY) (14th) were the final Bobcat all-NEC performers.
A large part of the Monmouth coming in second was having the 16th through 19th place finishers all wearing the blue and white. Their lone All-Conference honoree for the Hawks was Martin Suarez (Burlington, NJ), who logged a fifth place time of 26:12.8.
Mount Saint Mary’s put forth a quality effort with sophomore Matt Logie (Germantown, MD) cruising into fourth place with a time of 26:08.8, while Zach Emerson (Hillsboro, NH) crossed the finish line in eighth place at 26:22.5.
Senior Kyle Sultzer (Archbald, PA/Valley View) led the charge for Wagner, taking seventh place overall at 26:21.1, while freshman Ry Sanderson (Bantam, CT) continued an impressive rookie season notching ninth place at 26:23.0.
Robert Morris' Phillips Thompson (New Castle, PA) rounded out the All-Conference performers with a 12th place time of 26:35.1.
NEC All-Conference Team
PLACE FINISHER TIME
1 Sam Chelanga, FDU*^ 24:03.4
2 John Ciccarelli, QU 25:47.0
3 Jacob Gurzler, QU 26:08.2
4 Matt Logie, MSM 26:08.8
5 Martin Suarez, MU 26:12.8
6 Michael Charron, QU 26:14.3
7 Kyle Sultzer, WC 26:21.1
8 Zach Emerson, MSM 26:22.5
9 Ry Sanderson, CCSU 26:23.0
10 Anthony Mio, QU 26:31.4
11 Matt Warren, QU 26:32.0
12 Phillips Thompson, RMU 26:35.1
13 Nick Rezendes, QU 26:42.2
14 Terence Moriarty, QU 26:48.9
* NEC Outstanding Performer
^ NEC Freshman of the Year
