WIDEFIELD, Colo. – Led by six runners in the top eight, the Colorado College men won their second SCAC men’s cross country title in the last four years Saturday morning at Widick Field in the shadows of Pikes Peak. Results | Official Website | Facebook Photo Album
In the largest margin of victory since 2015 and the 11th largest overall in the 29-year history of SCAC cross country, Colorado College defeated Trinity by 30 points (21-51). The CC Tigers were led by senior Tony Calderon, who earned SCAC Runner of the Year honors with a 25:27.9 finish – the 13th fastest 8K championship time in league history. Calderon’s title represents the 10th time a Colorado College man earned SCAC Runner-of-the-Year honors and the third time in the last four years. Calderon become just the 22nd men's cross country student-athlete to earn All-SCAC honors four consecutive years.
Six more Colorado College runners earned All-SCAC honors as senior Max Blackburn finished second (25:50.2), senior Jack Williams was fifth (26:37.5), sophomore Sam Rodriguez was sixth (26:47.2), sophomore Josh Fry finished seventh (26:47.3), junior Paul Olsen eighth (26:47.3) and junior Andrew West rounded out a league-high seven CC Tiger runners in the top 14 in 14th crossing the line in 27:21.7.
The title is the seventh overall for the Colorado College men's cross country program (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2016).
Colorado College freshman Will Foster earned SCAC Newcomer of the Year honors, just narrowly missing all-conference accolades finishing 15th with a time of 27:25.6. Foster is the second-straight Tiger to earn SCAC Men’s Cross Country Newcomer of the Year honors and the fifth Colorado College athlete to earn the distinction.
Trinity finished with four runners in the top 14 to earn all-conference honors led by junior Harry Bellow finishing third with a time of 26:16.6. Joining Bellow on the all-conference podium was junior Keaton Holt in ninth (26:49.4), sophomore Joshua Morgan finishing 11th (27:11.8) and sophomore Chad Conway clocking in 13th with a time of 27:21.6.
Austin College turned in its best-ever finish at the SCAC cross country championships, finishing third with 102 total team points. The ‘Roos were led by sophomore RJ Navarro’s 10th-place finish, stopping the clock at 27:10.5. Navarro is just the second Austin College men’s cross country runner to earn All-SCAC honors, joining Chris Burke who finished ninth at the 2014 Championships.
Johnson & Wales (Denver) finished fourth with 107 total points behind a pair of All-SCAC performances in seniors John Jacob and Bryce Moore. Jacob finished fourth (26:26.3) and Moore finished was 12th (27:18.0).
University of St. Thomas, running in its first-ever SCAC conference meet, finished fifth with 119 total team points, led by freshman Alonzo Corral finishing 17th in 27:39.1.
Rounding out the team standings, Southwestern University was sixth with 182 points, University of Dallas finished seventh with 198 points, Schreiner University placed eighth (199) and Texas Lutheran University finished in ninth with 216 total team points.
2019 Men's Cross Country All-Conference Team
1. Tony Calderon, Colorado College - 25:27.9
2. Max Blackburn, Colorado Collehe - 25:50.2
3. Harry Bellow, Trinity Univeristy - 26:16.6
4. John Jacob, Johnson & Wales Univeristy (Denver) - 26:26.3
5. Jack Williams, Colorado College - 26:37.5
6. Sam Rodriguez, Colorado College - 26:47.2
7. Josh Fry, Colorado College - 26:47.3
8. Paul Olsen, Colorado College - 26:47.3
9. Keaton Holt, Trinity University - 26:49.4
10. RJ Navarro, Austin College - 27:10.5
11. Joshua Morgan, Trinity University - 27:11.5
12. Bryce Moore, Johnson & Wales University (Denver) - 27:18.0
13. Chad Conway, Trinity University - 27:21.6
14. Andrew West, Colorado College - 27:21.8
