AMHERST, N.Y. – The strength and depth of the Roberts Wesleyan University men’s cross country team was on full display on Saturday as the Redhawks rolled to their 10th straight East Coast Conference championship at Bassett Park on Saturday.
The Redhawks placed five runners in the top eight to finish with 23 points, outdistancing host Daemen (76) and third-place Molloy (86) at Bassett Park. Eight Roberts’ runners finished in the Top 12 and 14 finished in the Top 30.
“We have had so many guys run well and develop this season,” Roberts Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Andrew Dorr said. “We had a lot of guys who are finishing their season today run very well today.”
Senior Zachary Hall led the way for Roberts, finishing the 8-kilometer course in 25:48.5. Fifth-year standout Owen White was second, three-tenths of a second behind Hall.
Sophomore Caleb Belanger crossed the line fifth (26:18.1), freshman Trevor Heitkamp was seventh (26:41.1) and freshman Jakob Zibbel was eighth (26:41.1) was eighth to close out the scoring for Roberts.
Freshman Juvenal Diaz-Cortes finished ninth (26:43.7) senior Landon Schreib placed 11th (26:59.2) and freshman Nathan Demarest was 12th (27:06.8).
Hall earned ECC Runner of the Year honors while White, Belanger and Heitkamp were all named first-team All-ECC.
“I think for Zach to be honored as ECC Runner of the Year is very deserved,” Dorr said. “I am thrilled that he is going to be honored in this way.”
Zibbel, Diaz-Cortes, Schreib and Demarest all earned second-team All-ECC honors and Heitkamp was honored as ECC Rookie of the Year.
Other top finishers for Roberts were: Charlie Matzke (18th), Theodore Pintabona (20th), Caleb Price(22nd), Micah Barber (27th), Boston Dues (28th) and Hunter Himebaugh (29th).
Dorr said that the Redhawks’ commitment has been a key to their sustained success.
“They are all pushing each other and holding each other accountable,” Dorr said. “What seemed like hard work when the juniors and seniors were underclassmen is now like child’s play for the current freshman and sophomores. There is such a commitment to the process and that’s why this program has continued to be so successful.”
Roberts will host the NCAA Division II East Regional Championships on Nov. 9.