Nov. 14, 2009

Cdenter Valley, Pa. - 2009 Patriot League individual champion Andrew Hanko of Navy and his team paced the Patriot League contingent at the 2009 NCAA Cross Country Mid-Atlantic Regional Saturday. The Midshipmen recorded 201 points with its top five runners for a fourth-place finish in the team competition. It is the best NCAA Regional finish by a Patriot League school since American also finished fourth at the 2007 NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional.

Hanko of Navy finished in 13th place during the 10,000 meter race with a time of 32:16.4 and narrowly missed qualifying for the NCAA Championship. The top finishing Patriot League competitor, Hanko was the fifth- highest finisher among runners who were not on the two regional qualifying teams. On Sunday, the NCAA selection committee will select two additional at-large runners.

In the Mid-Atlantic team competition, American's men placed seventh (246), Bucknell finished in 11th place (320 points), followed by Lehigh (15th, 363) and Lafayette (26th, 742).

Individually, Lehigh's Evan Kosgei ran a time of 32:36.6 for 17th place, while Navy's James Pearson recorded a 23rd-place finish (32:43.4) and American's Colin Eustis earned 24th place with a time of 32:47.8. Four other Patriot League student-athletes also finished among the top 50; Andrew Huebner of Bucknell (36th), Navy's Matt Devillers (38th), Jeff Brannigan of American (45th) and Lehigh's Douglas Ridyard (48th).

Kosgei, Pearson, Eustis and Hanko earned all-region honors for their performances.

Meanwhile, in the women's Mid-Atlantic Regional competition, Lafayette led the five Patriot League schools with ninth-place honors with 321 points. Navy was close behind with 326 points for 11th place, followed by Bucknell (12th, 381) and Lehigh (16th, 445). American, which did not compete as a full team, had the top Patriot League finisher, as sophomore Octavia Rinehardt posted a time of 22 minutes 35 seconds, good for 35th place. Bucknell's Sarah Moniz (38th, 22:44), Brigid Byrne of Navy (42nd, 22:47), Erika Stasakova of Lafayette (43rd, 22:47) and Lehigh's Katherine Pierce (49th, 22:58) were the top finishers for each of the Patriot League schools.

At the NCAA Northeast Regional, Army's men's squad earned 17th place, while Holy Cross and Colgate placed 26th and 29th, respectively in the 10,000-meter race. Bryce Livingston of Army was the top finisher Patriot League student-athlete, as he registered a time of 32 minutes 52 seconds and finished in 48th place. Meanwhile, in the women's 6,000-meter event, Army was the top-finishing League school (18th), followed by Holy Cross (19th) and Colgate (27th). Paige Sutherland of Holy Cross earned a League-best 25th place (22:57), and earned all-region accolades.

The full field for the 2009 NCAA Cross Country Championship will be announced on Sunday. The 2009 NCAA Cross Country Championship will be held Monday, Nov. 23, on the campus of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Ind.