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Loretto, PA — The Central Connecticut men's cross country team won its fifth straight Northeast Conference Championship Saturday, sweeping the top-three spots and scoring six runners in the top-10. Senior Craig Hunt led the Blue Devils, setting a new course-record.
On an unseasonably dry day in November, #NECXC took over the Immergun Golf Club in Loretto, PA. Approximately 130 competitors ran the rolling hills of central Pennsylvania, vying for the championship trophy.
Central Connecticut scored 23 points, tying the lowest score turned in at the Men's Cross Country Championship in 20 years. Saint Francis U was the last team to post a low score of 23 in 2005. The score just misses the NEC record of 21 points set in 1993 by Fairleigh Dickinson. The Blue Devils also joined FDU (1990-94) and Saint Francis U (1999-03) as the only NEC schools to win five straight conference titles.
Hunt earned the individual title, finally getting the gold after finishing third and second his freshman and sophomore seasons respectively. Hunt ran the 8K course in a time of 26:23, shattering the course record of 26:46 set earlier this season by the senior.
Following close behind were teammates Brian Biekert and defending champion Colby Delbene. The Blue Devils scored six runners in the top-10, as Tyler Raymond, John Krell and Patrick Hubbell rounded out the team finising eight, nine and ten. The team averaged a time of 26:51, nearly two-minutes better than second place Robert Morris.
The Colonials turned in a score 93 points barely edging out host Saint Francis U who scored 96 points. Following the Red Flash in the fourth spot was Bryant with 109 points. The Bulldogs jumped six spots from last season's championship, shaving over 100 points this season.
Sacred Heart was fifth (140), followed by Mount St. Mary's with 149 points. Wagner took seventh (157), and Fairleig Dickinson (195) and St. Francis Brooklyn (273) rounded out the nine-team field.
Wagner's James Naglieri chased down Sacred Heart's Christopher Connelly in the final 20 meters, but it wasn't enough as Connelly finished fourth in 26:54, while Naglieri rounded out the top five in 26:58.
Freshman Ryan Hertzog was the first Colonial to cross the finish line, running the course in 27:47, earning him an 11th place finish and the NEC Freshman of the Year.
2013 Men’s Cross Country All-Conference Team
1 Craig Hunt Sr 26:23 5:18 CCSU
2 Brian Biekert Jr 26:29 5:19 CCSU
3 Colby Delbene Sr 26:44 5:22 CCSU
4 Christopher Connelly Sr 26:54 5:24 SHU
5 James Naglieri Jr 26:58 5:25 WC
6 Sean Ferguson So 26:59 5:25 SHU
7 Darrel Gooding So 27:03 5:26 FDU
8 Tyler Raymond So 27:11 5:28 CCSU
9 John Krell Sr 27:28 5:31 CCSU
10 Patrick Hubbell Jr 27:32 5:32 CCSU
11 Ryan Hertzog Fr 27:47 5:35 RMU
12 Andy Pullaro So 27:58 5:37 CCSU
13 Derek French Fr 27:59 5:37 CCSU
14 Kyle Penney So 28:00 5:37 SFU
NEC Outstanding Performer: Craig Hunt, Central Connecticut
NEC Freshman of the Year: Ryan Hertzog, Robert Morris