MAC Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Week
Scott Hilditch, Kent State, Junior
Stow, Ohio (Woodbridge)
Br. John "Paddy" Doyle / Iona College Meet of Champions
8K -- 25:33.5
Hilditch finished third at the prestigious Iona College Meet of Champions, his second-consecutive top three finish to begin the 2009 season. He helped Kent State capture its second meet championship of the season. At the meet, Kent State knocked off the fourth-ranked Wisconsin Badgers and the seventh-ranked Iona Gaels.
MAC Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week
Alexandra Lizarribar, Kent State, Junior
Clyde, Ohio (Ohio)
Br. John "Paddy" Doyle / Iona College Meet of Champions
6k -- 22:52.1
In her first collegiate meet in one of the best races in the country this past weekend, Lizarribar earned a second-place finish to help Kent State finish fourth. They finished just two points behind the Wisconsin Badgers.
Other Men’s Nomintees
Joe McCoy, Akron, Junior
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio (Woodridge)
Buffalo Stampede
8k -- 25:29:00
McCoy led Akron to the programs first meet win since the 2007 Tommy Evans Invitational. McCoy set the Buffalo Stampede course record by 20 seconds with a time of 25:29 in the 8k race on his way to winning the meet. McCoy improved his time in the 8k by 31 seconds over his previous week's finish in the Indiana Open.
Chris Moody, Bowling Green, Junior
Davidsonville, Maryland (South Hill High School)
The Iona Meet of Champions
8K -- 26:42.3
The top Bowling Green runner at a very hilly course.
Jacob Hagen, Buffalo, Junior
Amherst, NY (Sweet Home)
Hagen finished fourth among a field of 107 runners at the UB Stampede Invitational. Hagen turned in a clocking of 25:59 for 8K, the Bulls' first competition at the distance this season. The Bulls, ranked 15th in the USTFCCCA preseason poll, finished second to MAC rival Akron by one point in the team standings.
Riak Mabil, Central Michigan, Senior
Lansing, Mich (Grand Ledge HS)
Spartan Invitational
8K-- 25:09
9th place
Curtis Vollmar, Eastern Michigan, Senior
Grand Blanc, Mich. (Grand Blanc)
Spartan Invitational (8K)
Senior captain Curtis Vollmar paced the Eagles for the second race in-a-row, finishing fifth overall with a time of 24:58 at the MSU Spartan Invitational. Vollmar, last week’s Mid-American Conference Runner of the Week for men’s cross country, ran a pace of 5:02 to earn his second top-five finish of the young season. Last week, Vollmar placed first overall at the Titan Invitational, running the fastest time in EMU men’s cross country history.
Kevin Silver, Miami, Senior
Beachwood, Ohio (Beachwood)
Iona John "Paddy" Doyle Meet of Champions
8K -- 26:04.7
Silver led Miami to a fifth-place team finish at the 23-team Iona Meet of Champions, crossing the line in 18th place as Miami's top finisher. Silver finished 44 seconds behind the race's winner and helped the RedHawks finish ahead of host and seventh-ranked Iona in the team standings.
Joey Cherico, Ohio
Ran the best time for the Ohio men in the 7.6k at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational, clocking in with a time of 25:07.0.
Other Women’s Nomintees
Larisa Arcip, Akron, Senior
Vaslui, Romania (Spiru Haret University)
Buffalo Stampede
5k --18:23
Larisa led the the Zips to a second place finish behind only Cornell (ranked sixth in the Northeast Regional preseason poll). Larisa's time of 18:23 was 1:04 faster than her finish at Akron's Tommy Evans Invitational.
Ali Bishel, Ball State, Redshirt Junior
Chesterton, Ind. (Chesterton)
Indiana Intercollegiates
5K -- 17.28
In her first official meet since the 2007 NCAA Championships, Ball State redshirt junior Ali Bishel posted the fastest 5K of her career at 17:28 to win the Indiana Intercollegiates by four seconds. In the race, Bishel topped runners from all over the state of Indiana, including Purdue and Indiana.
Andrea Pereira de Almeida, Bowling Green, Senior
Bowling Green, Ohio (Bowling Green)
The Iona Meet of Champions
6K --23:54.3
Head Coach Cami Wells commented that the race was actually much longer than a 6K and was very hilly. This is the first time that she finished with the best time on the team this season.
Jackie Cavalluzzo, Buffalo, Sophomore
Middletown, NY (Valley Central)
Cavalluzzo was UB’s top finisher at the UB Stampede Invitational. She finished 18th among 117 runners in 19:15 for 5K.
Danielle Dakroub, Central Michigan, Junior
Okemos, Mich. (Okemos HS)
Spartan Invitational
6K -- 22:21
(personal best)
Courtney Calka, Eastern Michigan, Freshman
Livonia, Mich.-Stevenson
George Dales Invitational (6K)
Calka continued her stellar freshman campaign today, Sept. 18, as the true freshman placed first overall 21:49.26 to lead the Eagles at the 6K George Dales Invitational in Three Rivers. In three races this season, the first three of her young collegiate career, Calka has placed fifth (Michigan Open), third (Titan Invitational), and first with today’s finish. She was named the Mid-American Conference Runner of the Week last week for women’s cross country.
Amanda Mirochna, Miami, Senior
Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley)
MSU Spartan Invitational
6K -- 22:02
Mirochna was Miami's top finisher, crossing the finish line in 10th place out of a field of 170 women. She improved her time from last year's Spartan Invite by 20 seconds and finished four places higher than a year ago. Mirochna's time was the second-fastest 6K time of her career.
Courtney Oldenburg, Northern Illinois, Freshman
West Salem, Wis. (West Salem)
Illinois Intercollegiate
5k -- 18:38
In just her second five-kilometer race with the Huskies Oldenburg tied the Northern Illinois 11th-place 5k record. Oldenburg was the top finisher for NIU, finishing the race in 17th, out of 69,with a time of 18:38, a season best for the Huskie.
Jenielle Hunt, Ohio
Ran the best time for the Ohio women in the 4.6k at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational, clocking in with a time of 17:04.6.