Eastern Michigan Athletics
Men's Cross Country Leads MAC with 10 All-Academic Honorees
12/5/2019 10:35:00 AM | Men's XC
The Eagles had the most selections of any Mid-American Conference program
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's cross country team had 10 student-athletes selected to the Academic All-Mid-American Conference Team, the league office announced today, Dec. 5. The Eagles led the conference with 10 honorees, while Miami and Buffalo finished with seven and six bids, respectively, on the 2019 team.
The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport.
Receiving the honor for the Eagles were: senior Austin Wicker (Pinckney, Mich.-Pinckney), juniors Ian Cook (Worthington, Ohio-Thomas Worthington), Solomon Costa (Gahanna, Ohio-Gahanna Lincoln), and Owen Day (Ottawa, Ontario-International School of Dusseldorf, and sophomores Ronald Brandal (Huron, Ohio-Huron), Chris Devaney (New Plymouth, New Zealand-New Plymouth), Andy Payne (Worthington, Ohio-Thomas Worthington), Noah Perrin (Akron, Ohio-Woodridge), Craig Thompson (South Haven, Mich.-South Haven), and Eddie Zuercher (Rocky River, Ohio-Rocky River).
The only senior on head coach John Goodridge's squad, Wicker is a nursing major with a 3.90 GPA. An Academic All-MAC honoree for the third consecutive season, Wicker set a personal-best 5K time of 15:51.6 at the Michigan Open, Aug. 30. The Pinckney, Mich. native also finished just shy of an All-MAC bid when he finished 18th at the MAC Championships, Nov. 2, with a time of 26:06.8.
Cook is a secondary education major with a 3.92 GPA. One of two Worthington, Ohio natives on the team, Cook shined at the John McNichols Invitational, Sept. 21, as he set a personal-best 8K time of 27:20.7.
A general business major with a 3.27 GPA, Costa was selected to the Academic All-MAC Team for the second straight year. Along with setting career-records in the 5K and 8K during the 2019 campaign, Costa wrapped up the season with a personal-best 10K time of 33:19.7 at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional, Nov. 15.
Day, a simulation, animation, and gaming major with a 3.61 GPA, makes his debut on the Academic All-MAC Team. The Ottawa, Ontario native garnered Second Team All-MAC honors for the first time in his career after finishing in 10th place at the conference meet with a time of 25:49.0, Nov. 2. After setting personal-best 5K and 8K times during the regular season slate, Day recorded his fastest 10K time at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional, Nov. 15, coming in 66th spot as he clocked in at 32:04.6.
Devaney is an economics-SBA intent major who boasts a team-leading 3.97 GPA. The New Plymouth, New Zealand native set a personal-best 5K time of 16:48.5 at the Michigan Open, Aug. 30, before shattering his 8K record with a time of 25:21.5 at the Lehigh Paul Short Invitational, Oct. 5. Most notably, Devaney was the fifth EMU harrier to cross the finish line at the MAC Championships, Nov. 2, placing 20th overall with a time of 26:11.6 to help lift the Green and White to their MAC-record 23rd conference title.
An exploratory major with a 3.44 GPA, Payne was typically among EMU's top-two runners throughout the 2019 campaign. Honored as the MAC Freshman of the Year a season ago, Payne paced the Eagles at the MAC Championships, Nov. 2, as he finished in fourth place with a time of 25:35.2 and earned First-Team All-MAC accoldes for the first time. He then ranked in the top-50 at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional, Nov. 15, ending the 10K meet in 49th place with a personal-best 10K time of 31:34.5.
Perrin is a political science major with a 3.94 GPA. A native of Akron, Ohio, he finished 31st at the Michigan Open with a personal-best 5K time of 15:52.8, Aug. 30, and later set his fastest 8K time at the Lehigh Paul Short Invitational as he crossed the finish line at 25:25.4. An exercise science major with a 3.92 GPA, Thompson set a personal-best 5K time of 17:09.4 at the Michigan Open, Aug. 30, before setting an 8K time of 27:47.3 at the Paul Short Invitational, Oct. 5.
Zuercher, a mechanical engineering major with a 3.33 GPA, set a career-best 5K time of 15:27.6 at the Michigan Open, Aug. 30, before earning top-40 finishes at three 8K events in an injury-shortened season. After placing 40th with a time of 25:19.5 at the John McNichols Invitational, Sept. 21, he finished in 38th spot and achieved a personal-best time of 24:06.4 at the Lehigh Paul Short Invitational, Oct. 5. A secondary education major with a 3.62 GPA, Brandal rounds out the list of Eagles who carry on the program's tradition of excellence in the classroom.
2019 Men's Cross Country Academic All-MAC Team
Marc Migliozzi, Akron, Senior, 3.385, Mechanical Engineering (Pittsburgh, PA)
Nick Stricklen, Akron, Senior, 3.941, Exercise Science (Lexington, Ohio)
Raymond Berling, Bowling Green, R-Junior, 3.813, Education (Mason, Ohio)
Kyle Hibinger, Bowling Green, Junior, 4.000, Biology/Chemistry (Wadsworth, Ohio)
Jonathan Voth, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.000, Exercise Science (Grand Blanc, MI)
Ryan Buzby, Buffalo, Sophomore, 3.705, Biology (Grand Island, NY)
Caleb Covell, Buffalo, R-Junior, 3.225, Mechanical Engineering (Rochester, NY)
Thomas Flannery, Buffalo, Junior, 3.597, Business Administration (Orchard Park, NY)
Patrick Hazlitt, Buffalo, Junior, 3.439, Business Administration (Hector, NY)
Scott Loforte, Buffalo, Sophomore, 4.000, Civil Engineering (Canandaigua, NY)
Christopher Nowak, Buffalo, Junior, 3.714, Business Administration (Orchard Park, NY)
Mark Beckmann, Central Michigan, Senior, 3.38, Physical Education (Waterloo, IN)
Conor Naughton, Central Michigan, Junior, 3.57, Sport Management (Northville, MI)
Zachary Sleeman, Central Michigan, Junior, 3.37, Neuroscience (Davison, MI
Ronald Brandal, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.62, Secondary Education (Huron, Ohio)
Ian Cook, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.92, Secondary Education (Worthington, Ohio)
Solomon Costa, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.27, General Business (Gahanna, Ohio)
Owen Day, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.61, Simulation Animation & Gaming (Ottawa, Ontario)
Chris Devaney, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.97, Economics-SBA Intent (New Plymouth, New Zealand)
Andy Payne, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.44, Exploratory (Worthington, Ohio)
Noah Perrin, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.94, Political Science (Akron, Ohio)
Craig Thompson, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.92, Exercise Science (South Haven, MI)
Austin Wicker, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.90, Nursing (Pinckney, MI)
Eddie Zuercher, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.33, Mechanical Engineering (Rocky River, Ohio)
Joshua Allen, Kent State, Junior, 3.97, Math (Westerville, Ohio)
Clark Bookman, Kent State, Senior, 3.402, Business Management (Mogadore, Ohio)
Alex Stamper, Kent State, Sophomore, 3.394, Architecture (Medina, Ohio)
Jake Bertelsen, Miami, Sophomore, 3.76, Mechanical Engineering (Powell, Ohio)
Anthony Camerieri, Miami, Sophomore, 3.68, Finance and Kinesiology (Brecksville, Ohio)
David Coffey, Miami, Senior, 3.64, Kinesiology (Carmel, IN)
Charlie Harders, Miami, R-Freshman, 3.90, Computer Engineering (Western Springs, IL)
Max Lehnhardt, Miami, Senior, 3.44, Finance (Orland Park, IL)
Zach Robertson, Miami, Sophomore, 3.22, Mechanical Engineering (Medina, Ohio)
Alex Tam, Miami, R-Freshman, 3.92, Bioengineering (Green Oaks, IL)
Griffin Butler, Ohio, R-Junior, 3.337, Pre-Exercise Physiology (Newark, Ohio)
Cameron Kinsey, Ohio, Junior, 3.603, Integrated Media (Kettering, Ohio)
Erik McKean, Ohio, Senior, 3.294, Accounting (Pataskala, Ohio)
Josh Park, Ohio, Junior, 3.589, Exercise Physiology (Amherst, Ohio)
Matthew Gibbons, Toledo, Senior, 4.0, Mechanical Engineering (Oregon, Ohio)
The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport.
Receiving the honor for the Eagles were: senior Austin Wicker (Pinckney, Mich.-Pinckney), juniors Ian Cook (Worthington, Ohio-Thomas Worthington), Solomon Costa (Gahanna, Ohio-Gahanna Lincoln), and Owen Day (Ottawa, Ontario-International School of Dusseldorf, and sophomores Ronald Brandal (Huron, Ohio-Huron), Chris Devaney (New Plymouth, New Zealand-New Plymouth), Andy Payne (Worthington, Ohio-Thomas Worthington), Noah Perrin (Akron, Ohio-Woodridge), Craig Thompson (South Haven, Mich.-South Haven), and Eddie Zuercher (Rocky River, Ohio-Rocky River).
The only senior on head coach John Goodridge's squad, Wicker is a nursing major with a 3.90 GPA. An Academic All-MAC honoree for the third consecutive season, Wicker set a personal-best 5K time of 15:51.6 at the Michigan Open, Aug. 30. The Pinckney, Mich. native also finished just shy of an All-MAC bid when he finished 18th at the MAC Championships, Nov. 2, with a time of 26:06.8.
Cook is a secondary education major with a 3.92 GPA. One of two Worthington, Ohio natives on the team, Cook shined at the John McNichols Invitational, Sept. 21, as he set a personal-best 8K time of 27:20.7.
A general business major with a 3.27 GPA, Costa was selected to the Academic All-MAC Team for the second straight year. Along with setting career-records in the 5K and 8K during the 2019 campaign, Costa wrapped up the season with a personal-best 10K time of 33:19.7 at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional, Nov. 15.
Day, a simulation, animation, and gaming major with a 3.61 GPA, makes his debut on the Academic All-MAC Team. The Ottawa, Ontario native garnered Second Team All-MAC honors for the first time in his career after finishing in 10th place at the conference meet with a time of 25:49.0, Nov. 2. After setting personal-best 5K and 8K times during the regular season slate, Day recorded his fastest 10K time at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional, Nov. 15, coming in 66th spot as he clocked in at 32:04.6.
Devaney is an economics-SBA intent major who boasts a team-leading 3.97 GPA. The New Plymouth, New Zealand native set a personal-best 5K time of 16:48.5 at the Michigan Open, Aug. 30, before shattering his 8K record with a time of 25:21.5 at the Lehigh Paul Short Invitational, Oct. 5. Most notably, Devaney was the fifth EMU harrier to cross the finish line at the MAC Championships, Nov. 2, placing 20th overall with a time of 26:11.6 to help lift the Green and White to their MAC-record 23rd conference title.
An exploratory major with a 3.44 GPA, Payne was typically among EMU's top-two runners throughout the 2019 campaign. Honored as the MAC Freshman of the Year a season ago, Payne paced the Eagles at the MAC Championships, Nov. 2, as he finished in fourth place with a time of 25:35.2 and earned First-Team All-MAC accoldes for the first time. He then ranked in the top-50 at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional, Nov. 15, ending the 10K meet in 49th place with a personal-best 10K time of 31:34.5.
Perrin is a political science major with a 3.94 GPA. A native of Akron, Ohio, he finished 31st at the Michigan Open with a personal-best 5K time of 15:52.8, Aug. 30, and later set his fastest 8K time at the Lehigh Paul Short Invitational as he crossed the finish line at 25:25.4. An exercise science major with a 3.92 GPA, Thompson set a personal-best 5K time of 17:09.4 at the Michigan Open, Aug. 30, before setting an 8K time of 27:47.3 at the Paul Short Invitational, Oct. 5.
Zuercher, a mechanical engineering major with a 3.33 GPA, set a career-best 5K time of 15:27.6 at the Michigan Open, Aug. 30, before earning top-40 finishes at three 8K events in an injury-shortened season. After placing 40th with a time of 25:19.5 at the John McNichols Invitational, Sept. 21, he finished in 38th spot and achieved a personal-best time of 24:06.4 at the Lehigh Paul Short Invitational, Oct. 5. A secondary education major with a 3.62 GPA, Brandal rounds out the list of Eagles who carry on the program's tradition of excellence in the classroom.
2019 Men's Cross Country Academic All-MAC Team
Marc Migliozzi, Akron, Senior, 3.385, Mechanical Engineering (Pittsburgh, PA)
Nick Stricklen, Akron, Senior, 3.941, Exercise Science (Lexington, Ohio)
Raymond Berling, Bowling Green, R-Junior, 3.813, Education (Mason, Ohio)
Kyle Hibinger, Bowling Green, Junior, 4.000, Biology/Chemistry (Wadsworth, Ohio)
Jonathan Voth, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.000, Exercise Science (Grand Blanc, MI)
Ryan Buzby, Buffalo, Sophomore, 3.705, Biology (Grand Island, NY)
Caleb Covell, Buffalo, R-Junior, 3.225, Mechanical Engineering (Rochester, NY)
Thomas Flannery, Buffalo, Junior, 3.597, Business Administration (Orchard Park, NY)
Patrick Hazlitt, Buffalo, Junior, 3.439, Business Administration (Hector, NY)
Scott Loforte, Buffalo, Sophomore, 4.000, Civil Engineering (Canandaigua, NY)
Christopher Nowak, Buffalo, Junior, 3.714, Business Administration (Orchard Park, NY)
Mark Beckmann, Central Michigan, Senior, 3.38, Physical Education (Waterloo, IN)
Conor Naughton, Central Michigan, Junior, 3.57, Sport Management (Northville, MI)
Zachary Sleeman, Central Michigan, Junior, 3.37, Neuroscience (Davison, MI
Ronald Brandal, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.62, Secondary Education (Huron, Ohio)
Ian Cook, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.92, Secondary Education (Worthington, Ohio)
Solomon Costa, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.27, General Business (Gahanna, Ohio)
Owen Day, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.61, Simulation Animation & Gaming (Ottawa, Ontario)
Chris Devaney, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.97, Economics-SBA Intent (New Plymouth, New Zealand)
Andy Payne, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.44, Exploratory (Worthington, Ohio)
Noah Perrin, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.94, Political Science (Akron, Ohio)
Craig Thompson, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.92, Exercise Science (South Haven, MI)
Austin Wicker, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.90, Nursing (Pinckney, MI)
Eddie Zuercher, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.33, Mechanical Engineering (Rocky River, Ohio)
Joshua Allen, Kent State, Junior, 3.97, Math (Westerville, Ohio)
Clark Bookman, Kent State, Senior, 3.402, Business Management (Mogadore, Ohio)
Alex Stamper, Kent State, Sophomore, 3.394, Architecture (Medina, Ohio)
Jake Bertelsen, Miami, Sophomore, 3.76, Mechanical Engineering (Powell, Ohio)
Anthony Camerieri, Miami, Sophomore, 3.68, Finance and Kinesiology (Brecksville, Ohio)
David Coffey, Miami, Senior, 3.64, Kinesiology (Carmel, IN)
Charlie Harders, Miami, R-Freshman, 3.90, Computer Engineering (Western Springs, IL)
Max Lehnhardt, Miami, Senior, 3.44, Finance (Orland Park, IL)
Zach Robertson, Miami, Sophomore, 3.22, Mechanical Engineering (Medina, Ohio)
Alex Tam, Miami, R-Freshman, 3.92, Bioengineering (Green Oaks, IL)
Griffin Butler, Ohio, R-Junior, 3.337, Pre-Exercise Physiology (Newark, Ohio)
Cameron Kinsey, Ohio, Junior, 3.603, Integrated Media (Kettering, Ohio)
Erik McKean, Ohio, Senior, 3.294, Accounting (Pataskala, Ohio)
Josh Park, Ohio, Junior, 3.589, Exercise Physiology (Amherst, Ohio)
Matthew Gibbons, Toledo, Senior, 4.0, Mechanical Engineering (Oregon, Ohio)
Players Mentioned
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