HOLMDEL, N.J. – History does indeed repeat itself. The Iona College men's cross country program won its 29th straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Cross Country Championship Saturday afternoon. The Gaels extend the longest NCAA Division I conference championship winning streak in resounding fashion with 10 of the top 11 finishers, including the first five. Junior
Ehab El-Sandali was the event's Most Outstanding Performer with a first place finish of 25:07.15.
RACE RECAPs
Iona won the 2019 MAAC Championship with a perfect team score of 15. It is the Maroon & Gold's 13th perfect score during its unprecedented 29 consecutive championship streak. Iona's last perfect score came in 2017 when alumnus Andrew Tario won the individual crown.
El-Sandali led all finishers with his time of 25:07.15, but all of the Maroon & Gold's top performers were bunched atop the leader board. Sophomore Edward Goddard, in just his second race for Iona, placed second in 25:07.45. Junior Jack O'Leary and sophomore Jamie Dee finished third and fourth in 25:07.54 and 25:07.55. Junior John Millar rounded out the top five in 25:07.78.
Siena's Evans Kibet inserted himself inside the Maroon & Gold crowd with a sixth place finish. The Gaels wave continued to crash with rookie Joshua DeSouza, sophomore Jordan Brannan, freshman Campbell Lee and freshman Damien Dilcher completing the top 10. DeSouza's seventh place finish in 25:29.61 earns him the the Most Outstanding Rookie of the Championship honors.
The Gaels cruised to a 65-point win over the runner-up Saints who scored 80 points as a team. Manhattan finished third with 101 points. Monmouth and Marist rounded out the top-five with 105 and 133 points, respectively.
IONA INDIVIDUALS
TEAM FINISHES
| Place |
Team |
Points |
| 1. |
Iona |
15 |
| 2. |
Siena |
80 |
| 3. |
Manhattan |
101 |
| 4. |
Monmouth |
105 |
| 5. |
Marist |
133 |
| 6. |
Canisius |
147 |
| 7. |
Rider |
166 |
| 8. |
Quinnipiac |
230 |
| 9. |
Fairfield |
240 |
| 10. |
Niagara |
330 |
| 11. |
Saint Peter's |
363 |
CONGRATS COACH!!!
Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Joe Pienta was named the MAAC Coach of the Year for the second straight season.
UP NEXT
The next loop of championship season is the NCAA Northeast Regional Championship on Friday, November 15. The Gaels travel to Buffalo, NY for a race that puts their talents against the treacherous Audobon Golf Course. The top two finishing teams at the Northeast Regional earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship on Saturday, November 23, in Terre Haute, IN at Lavern Gibson XC Course.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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