November 22, 2008

COMPLETE RESULTS

BRONX, N.Y. -- Longwood University totaled 568 points to finish 22nd of 26 teams at the 100th IC4A Men's Cross Country Championships Saturday at Van Cortlandt Park in New York City.  The University of New Hampshire won the team title with its 107 points, while UNH runner Nicolas Decresne won the individual 8K race with his time of 25:31.  The Lancers were led by senior Evan Kearney/Richmond (Douglas Freeman) with his time of 27:04 to place 69th among the 235 runners.  Longwood concluded its 2008 campaign at the prestigious event.

Kearney was followed by freshmen Darren Simpson/Crewe (FUMA) (27:53, 122nd), Alex Strittmater/Haymarket (Battlefield) (28:04, 133rd), and Robert Webb/Williamsburg (Lafayette) (28:16, 149th), sophomore Ross Roberts/Powhatan (Powhatan) (28:24, 159th), along with freshmen Justin Cooke/Chesterfield (Manchester) (28:40, 176th) and Forrest Williams/Chesapeake (Hickory) (29:17, 194th).

"We use the IC4A Meet as our championship meet," said second-year head coach Catherine Hanson.  "All the training we do the whole season builds to this meet, which compared to other programs, makes it a long season going back to mid-August through November 22.  I am very happy with the the performance of the individuals I brought to this meet.  Evan had a personal best at this course and I am happy for him as he graduates this December; that he ran 40 seconds faster this year than last.

"I look forward to next year as the bulk of my men's program lies within the current freshmen who made tremendous gains in strength this year while stepping up to the 8k distance and running this course in the 27's.  With a good recruiting year, these young men could develop into a team that Longwood has not seen yet in terms of so many running so close together in workouts and in races."