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Men's Cross Country Wins NCAA Atlantic Region Cross Country Championship

11/10/07

The New York University men's cross country team won the NCAA Atlantic Region Cross Country Championship on Saturday, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA National Championship next Saturday, November 17, at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.

With senior captain Hany Abdallah leading the NYU pack, finishing second overall in a time of 24.29.7, the Violets totaled 37 points to hold-off second-place SUNY Cortland with 46.

Both teams will meet again at the NCAA National Championship next Saturday. Two top teams from each of the NCAA eight regional championship races automatically qualify, while another 16 teams earn wild card" bids.

"We did what we had to do to get the job done," said NYU head coach Nick McDonough. "It basically came down to a two-team race, and we were able to beat them (SUNY Cortland)."

Hamilton College's Peter Kosgei won the race in a time of 24:18.

It was the second straight NCAA Atlantic Region Championship for the Violets, who finished as the NCAA National Runner-Up in 2006.

Abdallah had plenty of support from his teammates, as junior Jessie Schneider placed fourth (24:37.7), senior Ryan Williams was right behind him in fifth (24:38), and senior James McCarthy took 12th (24:56.3).

Senior Spenser Popeson, who finished 50th at last year's regional, was NYU's fifth scorer, taking 14th place with a time of 25:05.6. In addition, senior Jon Phillips finished 24th (25:28.9) in his first action of the season.

"Our top three guys all ran at the front of the lead pack the entire race, while the next two were at the back of that pack," saidNick McDonough. "And, Hany was neck-and-neck with him (Kosgei) until the last 800 meters."

The College of New Jersey finished third overall with 120 points, followed by SUNY-Geneseo (126) and St. Lawrence University (154).

Overall, 39 teams and 271 runners competed over the 8,000-meter Van Cortlandt Park course.

"I think that we're just where we want to be at this point," McDonough added. "Let's just hope it's good enough."

He and his team will find out sure next Saturday.