Galloway, N.J. – The spring 2021 America East Cross Country Championships snapped a year-long drought without handing out a trophy in historic fashion. UMass Lowell swept the event, claiming the school's first championship in women’s program history while the men captured their second in three years and third overall.
The River Hawks took the top three spots and six of the top-ten in the men’s 8K to start off the afternoon at Seaview Golf Club. Senior Kyle Cloutier crossed the line first in 24:39.31 followed by last year’s individual champion Christopher Alfond and teammate Drew Everett.
The women’s 5K featured a photo finish as Binghamton’s Emily Mackay edged out UMass Lowell’s Kaley Richards by seven-tenths of a second. Mackay, who ran 17:27.01, is the first Bearcat to win the America East championship race.
Mackay and Cloutier qualified for NCAA Cross Country Championships with their wins.
Mackay was joined by her teammate Aziza Chigatayeva on the All-Conference First Team. The two were joined by Richards, Emily Sessa and Isabella Giesing of UMass Lowell, Fiona McLoughlin of Stony Brook and Lily Porth of Vermont. The All-Conference Second Team consisted of New Hampshire’s Lauren Dean and Elizabeth Martell, UAlbany’s Kelly Iocca, UMass Lowell’s Jenna Solimine, Vermont’s Annemarie Martell, UMBC’s Emmy Beyer and Maine’s Emma Jourdain.
The UMass Lowell trio of Cloutier, Alfond and Everett in tandem with Derek Holmes comprised four of the seven members of the men’s All-Conference First Team. Joining them were Binghamton’s Dan Schaffer and Stony Brook’s Greg Mangarelli and Robert Becker. The All-Conference Second Team consisted of UMass Lowell’s Daniel Cosgrove and Ben Drezek, Vermont’s Matt Hynes, Maine’s Samuel Mills, Stony Brook’s Shane Henderson, New Hampshire’s James Wilkes and Binghamton’s Matt Cavaliere.
UMass Lowell's Jake Velazquez was named Most Outstanding Rookie after finishing the 8K in 17th place.Fiona McLoughlin was named Most Outstanding Rookie after the freshman finished fifth overall.
The Elite 18 Awards, which honor the event medalists with the highest GPAs, were bestowed upon UMass Lowell’s Ben Drezek and Maine’s Emma Jourdain. Jourdain holds a perfect 4.0 GPA in Marine Science while Drezek boasts a 3.97 in exercise physiology.
Visit #AEXC Championship Central for final results and highlights.
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