In first try in race, senior's ninth-place finish is highest ever in alliance
Below: Dave Hunt
KEENE, N.H. - Running cross country at Eastern for the first season, senior Dave Hunt
(New Milford) was named All-New England Alliance by finishing ninth overall at the 2009 Liittle East Conference/New England Alliance Men's Cross Country Championship, hosted by Keene State College Saturday.
Over the 8,000 meter layout, Hunt was timed in 27:08 as Eastern's top finisher. His ninth-place finish is the highest ever by an Eastern male runner in 13 years of alliance competition.
The top seven runners in the LEC scoring are named All-LEC and the top 20 in alliance scoring merit All-NEA honors. The LEC is comprised of six institutions which sponsor cross country and the New England Alliance is comprised of six LEC institutions and six members of the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference.
The University of Southern Maine won its second alliance title in three years with a slim five-point win over 2008 champion Keene State College, and captured its third Little East title in four years witih a four-point win over 2008 champion Keene State.
Eastern was eighth among 12 teams in the alliance and fifth among six scoring teams in the Little East Conference.
Hunt, a second-semester transfer from Division I Central Connecticut, becomes the first Eastern male runner to achieve all-alliance honors since Mike Chilly in 2002. Chilly had previously been the program's top alliance finisher when he took 13th place in 1999.
Eastern competes in the ECAC Championship Saturday at Mt. Greylock High School in Williamstown, MA.
little east conference
2009 Cross Country Championship
at Keene, NH
Run over 8,000 meters
Team Results
1. U. of Southern Maine 27; 2. Keene State College 31; 3. Massachusetts Dartmouth
82; 4. Rhode Island College 112; 5. EASTERN CONN. 120; 6. Massachusetts Boston 188.
Eastern's Top 7 Finishers
9. Dave Hunt 27:08; ; 21. Sam Buczek 28:25; 27. Nick Miller 28:51; 30. Andrew Orum 29:29; 33. David Tignonsini 29:42; 34. Tim Callahan 29:48; 37. Brad Beausoleil 30:33.
New England Alliance
2009 Cross Country Championship
at Keene, NH
Run over 8,000 meters
Team Results
1. U. of Southern Maine 27; 2. Keene State College 32; 3. Massachusetts Dartmouth 107; 4. Westfield State College 130; 5. Fitchburg State College 161; 6. Rhode Island College 166; 7. Bridgewater State College 184; 8. EASTERN CONN. 188; 9. Salem State College 230; 10. Massachusetts Maritime Academy 268; 11. Worcester State College 336; 12. Masschusetts Boston 338.
Eastern's Top 7 Finishers
9. Dave Hunt 27:08; ; 32. Sam Buczek 28:25; 42. Nick Miller 28:51; 51. Andrew Orum 29:29; 54. David Tignonsini 29:42; 55. Tim Callahan 29:48; 62. Brad Beausoleil 30:33.
