Cross Country Earns Five All-Conference Selections
CCSU was the 2019 NEC Runner-Up
Five runners of the Central Connecticut men's cross country team were recgonized by the Northeast Conference as men's cross country All-Conference selections, it was announced by the league's office Wednesday morning. Roberto Piotto, the 2019 NEC Most Outstanding Performer and Elias Field the 2019 Freshman of the Year were joined by Eddie Nicholas and Richard Grudzwick on the All-Conference Team. Freshman Yankarlos Diaz was named to the NEC All-Rookie Team.
Piotto was first overall finisher at the NEC Championship meet crushing the 8K course with a time of 25:19.0 in a field of 89 runners. Field was the first rookie to complete the course and second Blue Devil to finish clocking in at seventh place with a time of 25:57.5.
Nicholas and Grudwick crossed the finish line in 11th and 13th place respectively. Nicholas posted a personal-best time of 26:04.3 and Grudzwick clocked in at 26:09.3. In his first NEC Championship race, Diaz finished in 21st place at 26:49.0.
The men's cross country team finished as the runner-up at the 2019 NEC Cross Country Championships totaling 50 points, just seven behind the NEC Champion Wagner. Wagner's head coach, Joe Stasi was named the NEC Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year.
NEC All-Conference Team
Roberto Piotto, CCSU
Trausti Thorstein, WAG
Will Merritt, MSM
Robert Guidicipietro, WAG
Jonathan Besselink, WAG
Isaac Kole, MSM
Elias Field, CCSU
Brenden Miller, SFU
TJ Corliss, MC
Mitchel Wileczek, MSM
Eddie Nicholas, CCSU
William Cuthbertson, WAG
Richard Grudzwick, CCSU
Colin Kelly, SFU
NEC All-Rookie Team
Elias Field, CCSU
Eddie Nicholas, CCSU
Yankarlos Diaz, CCSU
Grant West, MSM
Jonathan Iamarone, BRY
Evan Coyne, BRY
Zachary Kohler, SFU