Five Runners Earn All-Conference Honors at NECC Championship

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CHICOPEE, Mass. - Five Mitchell College student-athletes earned all-conference honors on Saturday afternoon at the 2009 NECC Cross Country Championships at Chicopee State Park.

The men's team finished as runner-up for the second straight season. Junior John Hoffman, senior Eric Appleby, sophomore Jonathan Kodsi and freshman Vernon Wilson all notched top-10 finishes to earn spots on the all-conference team. On the women's side, junior Brittany Smyth helped the Mariners to a fourth place finish as a team and also finished fourth overall to land on the all-conference first team.

Lesley University men's runner Fran Cusick and women's runner Noa Kupfer earned top individual honors, as the Lynx finished first in both the men's 8-kilometer and women's 5-kilometer races. Cusick finished the course in 27:43 and was named 2009 NECC Runner of the Year. All five of his scoring teammates finished in the top 12 to pace the Lynx to a team score of 36. 

Hoffman finished second overall with a time of 29:14, while Newbury's Gabriel Nunez clocked a time of 29:27 to finish third and earn league Rookie of the Year honors. Appleby matched his season-best time of 30:02 to finish fourth overall. Both Hoffman and Appleby earned spots on the all-conference first team, repeating the feat they accomplished last season as well. Appleby garnered all-conference accolades for the fourth time in his Mitchell running career.

Kodsi (32:58) and Wilson (33:01) finished eighth and ninth, respectively. The two were named to the all-conference second team for their efforts.

For the men, following Lesley's top team score of 17 was Mitchell (42), Daniel Webster (72), Newbury (79), and Southern Vermont (113) to close out the five-team field.

On the women's side, Kupfer registerd a time of 20:19 en route to claiming Runner of the Year honors. All five of Lesley's scoring runners crossed the finish line in the top 10, powering the Lynx to an overall score of 17. Kupfer, a freshman, also garnered Rookie of the Year honors.

Smyth finished the 5K course in a time of 22:10, her fastest of the season. She took home all-conference honors for the second straight season, having finished ninth overall last season.

For the women, Lelsey earned top honors, followed by a two-way tie for second place between Newbury and Wheelock who each tallied 70 points. Mitchell followed in fourth with 119, Southern Vermont scored 124, and Daniel Webster rounded out the six-team field with 137.

Lesley head coach Dan Flynn earned men's coach of the year honors, while Joe McConkey of Newbury notched coach of the year honors on the women's side. Elms earned team sportsmanship honors on the men's side, while Southern Vermont claimed the accolade on the women's side.


2009 NECC Men's Cross Country Team Champion

Lesley


2009 NECC Men's Cross Country Team Runner's-Up

Mitchell


2009 NECC Men's Cross Country Runner of the Year

Fran Cusick, Lesley (27:43)


2009 NECC Men's Cross Country Rookie of the Year

Gabriel Nunez, Newbury (29:27)


2009 NECC Men's Cross Country First-Team All Conference

1. Fran Cusick, Lesley
2. John Hoffman, Mitchell
3. Gabriel Nunez, Newbury
4. Eric Appleby, Mitchell
5. Chris Laplante, Daniel Webster


2009 NECC Men's Cross Country Second-Team All Conference

6. Brian Axelrod, Lesley
7. Dillon Simmons, Lesley
8. Jonathan Kodsi, Mitchell
9. Vernon Wilson, Mitchell
10. Matthew Hunt, Lesley


2009 NECC Women's Cross Country Team Champion

Lesley


2009 NECC Women's Cross Country Team Runner's-Up

Newbury, Wheelock


2009 NECC Women's Cross Country Runner of the Year

Noa Kupfer, Lesley (20:19)


2009 NECC Women's Cross Country Rookie of the Year

Noa Kupfer, Lesley (20:19)


2009 NECC Women's Cross Country First-Team All Conference

1. Noa Kupfer, Lesley
2. Elize McKelvey, Lesley
3. Elissa May, Lesley
4. Brittany Smyth, Mitchell
5. Jasmine Cuevas, Lesley


2009 NECC Women's Cross Country Second-Team All Conference

6. Alycia Dabrowski, Elms
7. Karen Thorvaldsen, Lesley
8. Solange Thomas, Newbury
9. Elise Huebner, Lesley
10. Katharine Needham, Wheelock