I guess you could say men’s cross-country had an exciting week. On Tuesday, Doug Wright ’12 and Mike LeDuc ’14 were named to the All-NESCAC squad. On Thursday, LeDuc was awarded NESCAC Men’s Cross-Country Rookie of the Year, and on Sunday, the Camels competed in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Men’s Cross Country Championship in Bristol, RI, where Hoitt McAllister ’12 finished in an impressive 65th place, with a time of 27:54.
Wright and LeDuc were named to the All-NESCAC team after their top finishes in NESCACs the previous weekend. LeDuc, this year’s stand-out freshman, finished the 8k race in 26:23, placing first on the Camels and fifth overall out of 127 runners. LeDuc was one of the strongest runners for Conn all season long, making him well-deserved in All-NESCAC selection.
Wright, who finished second on the Camels at NESCACs, finished the race with a time of 26:43. He came in thirteenth overall, just twenty seconds behind his freshman teammate. Wright’s All-NESCAC selection was not the first of his Conn career. In the spring of 2009, he was named to the All-NESCAC track and field squad in the 5,000 meters.
Adding to the team’s accolades, LeDuc’s fifth overall finish was not only good for best on the team, but also good for best out of all competing freshman. As a result, LeDuc was named 2010 NESCAC Rookie of the Year.
Co-captain Shawn Mulcahy ’11 also placed well for the Camels at NESCACs. Mulcahy ran a time of 27:08, good enough for a 30th place finish overall.
“All three guys ran a heck of a race,” Head Coach Jim Butler said after the game. “Mike and Doug ran a long way together and Shawn was able to come on late in the race for us. Mike’s Rookie of the Year finish was just fantastic to watch, as he ran with some of the best guys in the country. We’re very pleased to have two All-NESCAC finishers in such a tough conference.”
The Camels accumulated a total of 179 points, placing them 7th out of 11 squads. In the ECAC Division III Championship, Conn tallied 677 points as a team, placing 25th out of 44 teams.
Ross Peterson ’13 ran to a 73rd place finish with a time of 28:00. Tristan Cole ’13 and Patrick Myers ’13 came in a little while after, finishing in 114th and 219th, respectively.
Next weekend, the Camels will travel to Williamstown, MA to compete in the New England Division III Championships on Saturday. •
