Northeast Conference Honors Blake as Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year

Coming off a Northeast Conference Women's Cross Country Championship, ninth year Central Connecticut women's cross country head coach Eric Blake was named the 2018 NEC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year.

This is the first time Blake has been named Coach of the Year for the women, he has received the Coach of the Year honor for the men seven times. Blake led the men to nine consecutive NEC Titles (2009-2017) breaking the all-time Northeast Conference record for most consecutive titles won by any sport, erasing the previous record of eight set by Quinnipiac's women's cross country team from 2005 to 2012. This year, he coached the women's team to their first NEC Title since 1999.

The league also released its 2018 All-Rookie Team, selecting one member from each of the men's and women's groups. Robert Moore was chosen from the men's side and Ashley Dana was honored for the women.

The women's cross country team won its first NEC Title in almost 20 years after totaling 46 points at Bryant University in Smithfield, RI on Saturday Oct. 27. Dana was named the 2018 NEC Women's Cross Country Freshman of the Year after being the first freshman finisher in 15th place with a time of 19:07.7.

Moore had an impressive showing at the NEC Championships as the seventh freshman to clock in at 27:38.7 in 31st place. The Blue Devils finished the 8K course fourth overall with an average time of 26:44.

Both men's and women's cross country teams compete on Saturday, Nov. 17 at the IC4A/ECAC Championships at Van Cortlandt Park in Bronx, NY.

2018 ALL-ROOKIE TEAMS

Men's All-Rookie Team
Trausti Thorstein, WC
Will Merritt, MSM
Brenden Miller, SFU
Christopher Hernand, WC
William Cuthbertson, WC
Jason Cousineau, SFBK
Robert Moore, CCSU
 
Women's All-Rookie Team
Ashley Dana, CCSU
Gaelyn Kattman, SHU
Shannon Cody, SFU
Julia Ayres, BRY
Sarah Freeman, BRY
Alexis Mularkey, RMU
Laura Lintelman, RMU