MADISON, CT - The No. 4 Iona College men's cross country team began its championship season in familiar fashion, earning its 20th straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship in dominating fashion. Junior
Leonard Korir was the individual champion as the Gaels had seven of the race's top 10 and 13 of the top 20 finishers at Hammonassett Beach State Park.
Iona's team score was 18 in the race, nearly a third of second place Marist's 53. Rider (115), Fairfield (130) and Manhattan (144) rounded out the top five.
Korir finished the 8k course with a time of 23:50.4, the second fastest time in a MAAC Championship held away from Van Cortlandt Park. Former Iona standout Vinny Mulvey was only other harrier to break the 24-minute mark in the event back in 2000 at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, FL. Korir also became the ninth straight Gael to win the individual title.
Graduate
Mitch Goose was the No. 2 finisher in 24:03.9 in what becomes the third fastest time at MAACs away from VCP. He crossed the line just over 13 seconds behind Korir and 25 seconds ahead of the third place finisher,
Christian Gonzalez from Rider. Sophomore
Craig Murphy was fourth (24:29.5), junior
Matt Bayley was fifth 24:29.5 while graduate
Ben Lindsay was the Gaels final scorer in sixth place (24:49.5). After two Marist runners crossed in seventh and eighth, sophomore
Chris Stogsdill and senior
Josh Hibbs rounded out the race's top 10 finishers.
The Gaels' 20th straight conference championship extended the nation's second longest active streak in Division I. The West Coast Conference's Portland looks to extend their streak to 32 tomorrow afternoon.
For the team's efforts, head coach
Ricardo Santos was named the 2010 MAAC Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year.
In addition, seven student-athletes were recognized for their performance in the classroom. Bayley, Hibbs and Murphy joined seniors
Ryan Sheridan and
Steve Wood and juniors
Daniel Lipus and
Alexander Soderberg on the MAAC All-Academic Team. To be eligible for the MAAC All-Academic Team, a student athlete must complete two semesters at their institution and hold a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 on a 4.0 scale.
Iona continues its championship campaign in two weeks when they compete at NCAA Northeast Regionals on the same course on Nov. 13. The Gaels have captured six of the last eight Northeast titles and look to get back to the top after finishing second in 2009.
2010 MAAC Championship
Hammonassett Beach State Park - Madison, CT - 8k
October 29, 2010
Top 20 Finishers
Pl.) Competitor YR School Time
1.) Leonard Korir SR Iona College 23:50.4
2.) Mitch Goose GR Iona College 24:03.9
3.) Christian Gonzalez SR Rider 24:28.0
4.) Craig Murphy SO Iona College 24:29.5
5.) Matt Bayley JR Iona College 24:44.1
6.) Benjamin Lindsay GR Iona College 24:49.5
7.) Mathew Flint JR Marist 24:50.5
8.) William Griffin JR Marist 24:52.7
9.) Chris Stogsdill SO Iona College 24:58.8
10.) Josh Hibbs SR Iona College 25:03.9
11.) Joe Parks SR Iona College 25:12.1
12.) Ariquimedes DelaCruz SO Marist 25:13.3
13.) Daniel Lipus JR Iona College 25:13.6
14.) Tobias Lundgren JR Manhattan 25:15.8
15.) Doug Holt SR Iona College 25:17.0
16.) Ken Walshak FR Marist 25:17.2
17.) Dave Grange SR Iona College 25:26.2
18.) Giovanni Signoretti JR Iona College 25:27.7
19.) Colin Culhane JR Iona College 25:43.0
20.) Nick Webster SR Marist 25:47.1
Iona Runners
Pl.) Competitor YR Time
1.) Leonard Korir SR 23:50.4
2.) Mitch Goose GR 24:03.9
4.) Craig Murphy SO 24:29.5
5.) Matt Bayley JR 24:44.1
6.) Benjamin Lindsay GR 24:49.5
9.) Chris Stogsdill SO 24:58.8
10.) Josh Hibbs SR 25:03.9
11.) Joe Parks SR 25:12.1
13.) Daniel Lipus JR 25:13.6
15.) Doug Holt SR 25:17.0
17.) Dave Grange SR 25:26.2
18.) Giovanni Signoretti JR 25:27.7
19.) Colin Culhane JR 25:43.0
38.) Brendan Farrell FR 26:24.0
56.) John Badolato SR 26:46.7
Team Scores
Pl. School Score
1.) Iona College 18
2.) Marist 53
3.) Rider 115
4.) Fairfield 130
5.) Manhattan 144
6.) Loyola 160
7.) Canisius 175
8.) Niagara 183
9.) Siena 270
10.) Saint Peter's 282
