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Results: A Race | B Race
INDIANAPOLIS – Lewis University clinched its first Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Men’s Cross Country Championship since 2004 Saturday at Principia College in Elsah, Illinois.
The Flyers totaled 51 points to edge the University of Southern Indiana (57) by six points. Lewis earned its 14th GLVC Championship overall, denying the Screaming Eagles their league-best 28th title and ending their 15-year run on top, which was the longest streak for any team in any sport in Conference history.
After finishing second last year, the University of Illinois Springfield placed third with 69 points, while the University of Indianapolis (83) and Lindenwood University (127) claimed top-five positions. Southwest Baptist University (131), Drury University (181) and Missouri S&T (225) rounded out the eight-team “A” race.
Due to the league’s strict COVID-19 safety protocols, the top-four teams from the GLVC East Divisional and West Divisional qualified for the “A” race and earned the right to vie for the GLVC Championship.
Illinois Springfield junior Blake Jones broke the tape first in an 8,000-meter time of 24 minutes, 41.30 seconds to claim the individual crown. In addition to being named the GLVC Champion, Jones was honored as GLVC Runner of the Year following the race – both honors being a first in school history.
Lewis was led by standout freshman Anthony Farmer (24:51.43) and senior Dustin Macuiba (24:55.43), who placed second and third, respectively. Based on his standing as the highest-placed newcomer, Farmer was named GLVC Freshman of the Year.
UIS senior Tyler Pasley (25:12.26) and UIndy junior Chris Switzer (25:19.35) finished fourth and fifth. Lindenwood sophomore Louis Moreau (25:20.51), the GLVC West Divisional Champion, placed sixth overall, and was followed by USI senior Gavin Prior (25:20.65), UIS freshman Courtland Ross (25:24.28), USI junior Noah Hufnagel (25:25.75) and UIndy junior Nathan Herbst (25:37.63) in the top 10. Rounding out the top 15 for All-Conference accolades were USI seniors Wyat Harmon (25:43.51) and Grady Wilkinson (25:45.83), Lewis freshman Patrick Hennessey (25:48.01) and sophomore Daniel Arimi (25:49.63), and UIndy senior Will Reid (25:56.63).
In the “B” race held prior to the Championship race, Truman State University saw all five runners take the top-five positions for a perfect score of 15, while Rockhurst University (59), University of Missouri-St. Louis (69), William Jewell College (87) and McKendree University (129) closed out the five-team field. Truman State senior Tom Cormier crossed the line first in 26:21.04.
At the conclusion of the GLVC Championship, Lewis head coach James Kearney was voted by his peers as GLVC Coach of the Year. It’s the first award for Kearney, who joins Jeff DeGraw (10) and Bob Schultz (2) as Lewis mentors who have earned the honor. The accolade is also the first for a Flyer head coach since Schultz won his second career award in 2004.
On Monday, the Conference office will announce the honorees and team winner of the James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award.
For the first time in league history, the GLVC Championship was carried live on the GLVC Sports Network. The broadcast can be found in the “On Demand” section on all GLVCSN platforms, including GLVCSN.com, GLVCSN iOS and Android mobile apps, as well as GLVCSN OTT platforms on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV.
2020 GLVC POSTSEASON AWARDS
GLVC Champion/Runner of the Year
Blake Jones, Illinois Springfield
Freshman of the Year
Anthony Farmer, Lewis
Coach of the Year
James Kearney, Lewis
All-Conference Honorees (in order of top-15 finish)
Blake Jones, Illinois Springfield
Anthony Farmer, Lewis
Dustin Macuiba, Lewis
Tyler Pasley, Illinois Springfield
Chris Switzer, Indianapolis
Louis Moreau, Lindenwood
Gavin Prior, Southern Indiana
Cortland Ross, Illinois Springfield
Noah Hufnagel, Southern Indiana
Nathan Herbst, Indianapolis
Wyat Harmon, Southern Indiana
Grady Wilkinson, Southern Indiana
Patrick Hennessey, Lewis
Daniel Arimi, Lewis
Will Reid, Indianapolis