IRVING, Texas – Junior Josh Fry paced five Colorado College runners who finished in the top 10 and the Tiger men defended their cross country conference crown Saturday morning on the campus of the University of Dallas. Results | Official Website | Facebook Photo Album | Interview with Colorado College Head Coach Alex Nichols | Interview with SCAC Runner of the Year Josh Fry | Video Highlights
Fry, who notched his third consecutive All-SCAC finish, crossed the line in 26:35.60 to earn SCAC Runner of the Year honors, continuing the program's dominance at posting the event's top medalist as 12 of the last 15 individual winners have come from Colorado College.
"It feels great to have this win and especially satisfying to get the team win as well," said Fry. "I was just glad to have the opportunity to race again, and so happy with how it went."
Fry was one of six Colorado College men who earned All-SCAC honors. Freshman James Settles finished third in a time of 26:37.40, earning SCAC Newcomer of the Year honors in the process. Also earning all-conference recognition for the CC Tigers was sophomore Max Saliman in fifth (26:54.60), junior Sam Rodriguez in seventh (27:02.70), sophomore Will Foster in 10th (27:31.20) and freshman Ben Hayes-Lemmon in 13th (27:41.10).
The title is the eighth overall for the Colorado College men's cross country program (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2019).
Colorado College finished with a team score of 26 to finish 11 points of second-place Trinity University, who had 37 points.
The Texas Tigers had five runners earn All-SCAC honors, led by sophomore Ben Whittemore who finished a half second behind Fry and was second in a time of 26:36.10. Senior Keaton Holt placed fourth (26:47.30), freshman Ryan Rager-Aguiar was eighth (27:16.20), junior Chad Conway was 11th and sophomore Joseph Hermes finished 12th (27:39.90).
Austin College equaled its best-ever finish at the SCAC cross country championships, finishing third with 90 total team points. The ‘Roos were led by senior Johnny Biffar's ninth-place finish, who stopped the clock at 27:27.40 and junior Andrew Thomas, who was 14th in a time of 27:42.50. Biffar and Thomas are just the third and fourth 'Roos to earn All-SCAC men's cross country honors in program history and Saturday's performance marked the first time the team has had multiple honorees at the same championship.
Behind a sixth-place finish by sophomore Noah Dennis, Southwestern University finished fourth in the team standings with 124 total points. Noah's finish is tied for the third-highest in program history at the SCAC championship meet.
Rounding out the team standings, Texas Lutheran University was fifth with 138 points, the University of Dallas finished sixth with 144 points and Schreiner University was seventh with a team score of 173. Centenary College and the University of St. Thomas all competed but did not have enough runners to score.
This year's cross country championship, which had originally been scheduled for October 31, 2020, is the first championship the conference has hosted since the 2020 Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament ended on March 1, 2020.
2020-21 Men's Cross Country All-Conference Team
1. Josh Fry, Colorado College - 26:35.60
2. Ben Whittemore, Trinity University - 26:36.10
3. James Settles, Colorado College - 26:37.40
4. Keaton Holt, Trinity University - 26:47.30
5. Max Saliman, Colorado College - 26:54.60
6. Noah Dennis, Southwestern University - 27:01.10
7. Sam Rodriguez, Colorado College - 27:02.70
8. Ryan Rager-Aguiar, Trinity University - 27:16.20
9. Johnny Biffar, Austin College - 27:27.40
10. Will Foster, Colorado College - 27:31.20
11. Chad Conway, Trinity University - 27:32.10
12. Joseph Hermes, Trinity University - 27:39.90
13. Ben Hayes-Lemmon, Colorado College - 27:41.10
14. Andrew Thomas, Austin College - 27:42.50
