Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
MAC Championship
Men's Cross Country Continues Dominant Stretch
11/21/2020 4:41:00 PM | Men's XC, Women's XC
Men take home MAC trophy, women earn ninth-place
Women's Results | Men's Results
Photo Gallery: Men's Race. Women's Race.
Rewatch the Meet.
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University men's cross country team captured the 2020 Mid-American Conference Championship with a team total of 39 points Saturday, Nov. 21, in Bowling Green, Ohio. For the men, they extended their own conference record with their 24th conference title, and 14th in the last 16 seasons. Meanwhile, the women's team boasted one top-20 runner, as the team earned ninth place with 227 points.
For Head Coach Sue Parks, she becomes the first female coach in MAC history to mentor a men's championship cross country team. Parks also earned MAC XC Coach of the Year honors, earning the award for the seventh time and first while mentoring both programs.
The men edged second-place Miami by 24 points to continue their unrivaled dominant stretch. Miami jumped out to a hot start, leading the MAC harriers through the first two miles. However, junior Andy Payne (Worthington, Ohio-Thomas Worthington) and company picked up the pace and never looked back.
After not competing in EMU's first cross country outing, the Ohio product jumped from 33rd place to 2nd over the first four miles. Payne ultimately finished second in a blazing 24:00.3 clip in the 8K, a hair behind the now two-time individual champion Josh Parks of Ohio University (23:57.9). Junior teammates Baldvin Magnusson (Akureyri, Iceland-Hull University) and Chris Devaney (New Plymouth, New Zealand-New Plymouth) followed closely behind, taking the third and fourth spots with times of 24:06.7 and 24:22.6, respectively.
Redshirt freshman Toby Gualter (Tawa, New Zealand-Tawa College) rounded out the top-10, crossing the finish line with a time of 24:32.4, earned the MAC's Freshman of the Year award in the process. Meanwhile, juniors Noah Perrin (Akron, Ohio-Woodridge) (25:08.8) and Eddie Zuercher (Rocky River, Ohio-Rocky River) (25:14.2) recorded top-25 positions, taking 20th and 25th, respectively.
The last time the men failed to hoist the MAC trophy in a two-year stretch were the 1998-99 seasons.
"I'm really proud of the men. They worked hard on their own during the spring and summer and once we combined programs, my volunteer coach, Abel Flores, and I worked on a plan for the team moving forward," remarked Coach Parks. "Great teamwork helped us win this title. The men really wanted this win and they came through with a great performance today. Our top three runners were spectacular. Andy Payne had a tough fall at the beginning of the race. He had to make up a lot of ground but he still came back to finish a close 2nd. Vinny Magnusson continues to get better and better. Chris Devaney showed incredible improvement, moving up from 20th last year to 4th this year. But this win was truly a team effort. This group has a bright future and I'm excited to see the men continue to develop."
For the women's team, sophomore Esme Davies (Lake District, England-Queen Elizabeth Grammar School) paced the Green and White for the second time this season, recording a time of 21:49.2, good for 19th place in the 6K. The England native displayed her grit during the race, propelling herself from 39th to 19th for the top-20 finish. Junior Olivia Chandler (Brighton, Mich.-Brighton) earned the 41st spot with a 22:27.7 showing.
Finishing side-by-side were juniors Kaitlyn St. Bernard (Newport, Mich.-Jefferson) (22:48.4) and Lexi Seifert (Waterford, Pa.-Villa Maria Academy) (22:48.5), finishing 56th and 57th, respectively. Rounding out the EMU women's runners was junior Emily DeLine (Newport, Mich.-Airport) who took 62nd with a mark of 22:56.6.
"We were short handed on the women's side but that's all part of the game this year and I feel that our athletes who competed gave it their all," Parks explained. "Esme Davies had a strong race, finishing 19th after having very serious surgery last January. We are disappointed with our team finish after five straight titles but I know that will motivate our women that much more. Congratulations to the NIU women on a great victory."
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships will take place March 15, 2021, in Stillwater, Okla. The NCAA's Cross Country committee will select teams and individuals for the title race based on certain criteria.
Teams will be chosen based on the group's performances in their respective leagues and overall body of work. Consequently, league champions will not be ensured an automatic spot in Oklahoma. Meanwhile, all individual conference winners will automatically qualify for the final championship race, even if their team did not qualify. A handful of spots will remain for harriers who did not win their conference as an at-large bid.
For updates on all things cross country, continue to check EMUEagles.com or follow the teams on Instagram, @EMUXC_TF and Twitter, @EMUXC_TF.
2020 MAC XC Championships
Nov. 21, 2020 | Bowling Green, Ohio
MAC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year: Adrian Meyers, Northern Illinois
MAC Women's Cross Country Freshman of the Year: Kaliee Perry, Bowling Green
Women's Cross Country All-MAC First Team
Kaliee Perry, Bowling Green
Ashley Tutt, Northern Illinois
MacKenzie Callahan, Northern Illinois
Elka Machan, Ball State
Lindsey Scarton, Akron
Katerina Shuble, Bowling Green
Katie Vitou, Miami
Women's Cross Country All-MAC Second Team
Rebecca McNamee, Western Michigan
Maya Hannagan, Toledo
Carmen Riano, Miami
Cayla Eckenroth, Ball State
Emily Paupore, Central Michigan
Hailey Bowes, Ohio
Semra Karaslan, Toledo
MAC Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year: Sue Parks, Eastern Michigan
MAC Men's Cross Country Freshman of the Year: Toby Gualter, Eastern Michigan
Men's Cross Country All-MAC First Team
Josh Park, Ohio
Andy Payne, Eastern Michigan
Baldvin Magnusson, Eastern Michigan
Chris Devaney, Eastern Michigan
Alex Stamper, Kent State
Jacob Harris, Toledo
Anthony Camerieri, Miami
Men's Cross Country All-MAC Second Team
Sean Torpy, Miami
Adam Rzentkowski, Central Michigan
Toby Gualter, Eastern Michigan
Scott Loforte, Buffalo
Ben Otis, Toledo
Drew Johnson, Kent State
Armani Merlino, Buffalo
Men's Team Results
1. Eastern Michigan - 39
2. Miami - 63
3. Buffalo - 94
4. Ohio - 116
5. Toledo - 123
6. Kent State – 139
7. Bowling Green – 182
8. Central Michigan - 184
EMU Individual Results
2. Andy Payne - 24:00.3
3. Baldvin Magnusson - 24:06.7
4. Chris Devaney - 24:22.6
10. Toby Gualter - 24:32.4
20. Noah Perrin- 25:08.8
25. Eddie Zuercher - 25:14.2
31. Owen Day - 25:28.0
40. Ethan Kincell - 25:49.0
61. Ian Cook - 26:47.5
Women's Team Results
1. Northern Illinois - 84
2. Toledo - 87
3. Bowling Green - 90
4. Miami - 95
5. Ball State - 130
6. Ohio -142
7. Akron - 160
8. Central Michigan -223
9. Eastern Michigan – 227
10. Kent State – 231
11. Western Michigan – 273
12. Buffalo - 357
EMU Individual Results
19. Esme Davies - 21:49.2
41. Olivia Chandler - 22:27
56. Kaitlyn St. Bernard - 22:48.4
57. Lexi Seifert - 22:48.5
62. Emily DeLine – 22:55.6
Players Mentioned
