Recent News

Share this

Redhawks Cross Country Teams Win 8th Straight East Coast Conference Championship Title

On Saturday, Nov. 5, Roberts Wesleyan University hosted the 2022 East Coast Conference (ECC) Cross Country Championships, where both the Roberts men’s and women’s cross country teams secured their eighth consecutive ECC Championship titles for the Redhawks.

Considered “underdogs” heading into this season, the women’s cross country team placed five runners in the top eight during the championship race, finishing with 26 points compared to 37 for second place Daemen University. Sophomore Acacia Barber led the way for the Redhawks, covering the 5K course on the Matt St. James Cross Country Trails in 19:09.

In the men’s race, the Redhawks swept the top five spots to secure the title, with junior runner Blake Kasper leading the way with a time of 26:07 on the 8K course to finish first. He was followed across the finish line by teammates Owen White (26:21), Jackson Doran (26:23), Zachary Hall (26:35) and Ryan Karker (26:46). The men’s team finished with 15 points followed by runner-up Daemen University with 48 points.

"We were the underdogs this year, even though we had won seven titles in a row," said Roberts Wesleyan’s Director of Cross Country & Track and Field, Andrew Dorr. "But, our women ran solid. They ran as well as they have all year and sometimes that's what it takes in a championship meet. I’m also extremely proud of the results achieved by our men’s team during Saturday’s race. It's really nice to see us take places one through five on the finish line because it shows that the group is coming into top form as we move further into championship season.”

In addition to earning the coveted ECC Championship title, several Roberts cross country team members received honorary ECC awards and recognitions. Rachel Horner-Richardson was named ECC Rookie of the Year, Blake Kasper was named ECC Runner of the Year and Alexandra Tucker received the ECC 2022 Women’s Cross Country Elite 19 Award for academic excellence. Coaches Andrew and Jennifer Dorr were also named ECC Cross Country Coaches of the Year.

Following their ECC Championship title, the men’s and women’s cross country teams will compete in the NCAA Division II East Regional Championship on Saturday, Nov. 19 in Bethpage, Long Island. For a full list of results and finish times from the ECC Championship race or to learn more about the college’s athletic program, teams and upcoming schedule, visit robertsredhawks.com.

For more news articles, you can take a look at our archive.