Men and Women’s Cross Country Teams Tabbed as Favorites to Repeat in 2012
Central Islip, N.Y. (August 21, 2012) – After capturing the 2011 East Coast Conference Championships, the LIU Post Men's and Women's Cross Country teams have been named the preseason favorites as voted upon by the league's coaches. Senior Hillary Mugun (Nandi Hills, Kenya) from University of the District of Columbia and sophomore Gladys Kimutai (Eldama Ravime, Kenya) from New York Institute of Technology are named the ECC Preseason Runners of the Year for their respective gender.
In the men's poll, the Pioneers captured eight of nine first place votes, finishing with 79 total points. In 201,1 LIU Post clinched their third straight conference championship with four of the top eight finishers in the championship meet wearing green and gold. For the second straight year,
Christian Altamura paced the way for the Pioneers, earning a spot on the All-Conference First Team with a third place finish.
Molloy earns the No. 2 spot on the men's poll with the final first place votes and 69 points. St. Thomas Aquinas rounds out the top three with 58 points.
On the women's side, the Pioneers grabbed five first place votes and 75 points to take the top spot. LIU Post won their first ever ECC Women's Cross Country Championship in 2011 behind the efforts of four All-Conference runners. Jennifer McLaughlin was the top finisher for the Pioneers, placing sixth with a time of 19:52.91 to earn a spot on the All-Conference First Team.
St. Thomas Aquinas leads three other teams receiving first place votes with two. The Lady Spartans finished with 66 points, placing second in the poll. NYIT and Roberts Wesleyan also grabbed first place votes. Despite the first place vote, Roberts Wesleyan will be ineligible to win the ECC Championship as first year provisional members of the NCAA. Molloy College wraps up the top three with 53 points.
Mugun finished second in the ECC Championship in 2011 with a time of 25:54.69 to earn a spot on the All-Conference First Team.
Kimutai was the top freshman finisher in 2011, coming in second overall in a time of 18:43.58 to win the ECC Rookie of the Year award.
2012 ECC Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll 2012 ECC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
School Pts. School Pts.
1. LIU Post (8) 79 1. LIU Post (5) 75
2. Molloy (1) 69 2. St. Thomas Aquinas (2) 66
3. St. Thomas Aquinas 59 3. Molloy 53
4. Dowling 51 4. Dowling 52
5. Queens 40 5. NYIT (1) 46
5. Roberts Wesleyan 40 6. Roberts Wesleyan (1) 46
7. NYIT 33 7. Queens 38
8. District of Columbia 27 8. Bridgeport 16
9. Bridgeport 10 9. District of Columbia 13
( ) –first place votes