MEC XC Championship Results

WHEELING, W.Va. – Nick Bias and the Golden Eagles captured the 2018 MEC Men's Cross Country title on Saturday afternoon on the Crispin Golf Course at Oglebay Park.
 
The Bias led squad earned their first conference championship since 1985 when the Golden Eagles took home the WVIAC crown.  UC did it in dominating fashion by placing six runners in the top-10 and outscoring the runner-up Mountain Lions from Concord, 25-46.  The MEC Championship helped Bias be named the 2018 MEC Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year by his coaching peers in the Mountain East.
 
Six Golden Eagles earned All-MEC First Team by placing in the championship's top-10, led by sophomore David Cecchi's (Perth, Australia) runner-up finish with a time of 27:32 on the tough, muddy slopes of Crispin Golf Course.  Close behind was junior transfer Jack Mastandrea (Mooresville, N.C.) in third place with time of 27:37 followed by sophomore Hunter Riffle (West Union, W.Va.)'s 5^thplace effort and a time of 28:48.  
 
Bias's goal of having all seven of his runner's finish in the top-10 almost came to a realization as junior Sergio Garrido (Medino del Campo, Spain) (7^th), Job Ijtsma (Hoogeveen, Netherlands) (8^th) and Liam Mumford (Mackay, Australia) (10^th) all earned All-MEC First Team with their strong performances.  Cam Lee would have made a push for the top-10 but was forced to retire from the race due to injury.
 
Charleston will take their first MEC XC title on the road for the NCAA Atlantic Regional on Saturday, November 17 at Schenley Park in Pittsburgh, Pa.  The Golden Eagles currently sit in second place in the most recent Atlantic Region rankings and looks to finish in the top three in Pittsburgh. By placing third or better in the regional event UC will be guaranteed a spot at the NCAA National Championship on December 1, 2018 also being held at Schenely Park.  It would be the first time in program history that a UC cross country team would advance to the NCAA National Championship.