Cross Country Leaves A10 in the Dust En Route to Conference Championship

Loyola cross country ended its conference season on a high note with both the men’s and women’s teams taking home first place at the Atlantic 10 (A10) Championships at the Elvin R. King Cross Country Course in Dayton, Ohio. 

The men reestablished themselves as champions for the third time in four years since joining the conference following a second-place finish last year. The women won their fourth-straight A10 title and seventh conference championship in a row after ending their time in the Missouri Valley Conference on a three-peat. 

Men’s Cross Country:

The Ramblers rocked the 8K with a total team score of 28, with second-place finisher Saint Joseph’s University 74 points behind at 104 total points. 

Loyola was led by graduate William Sinclair, finishing second with a time of 23:58.1, trailing only George Washington University fourth-year Michael Bohlke, who took the individual crown at 23:46.4.

Behind Sinclair were four more Ramblers in the top 10, led by third-year Jake Phillips in fourth, timing in at 24:01.6. Third-year Nate Boutin and fourth-year Yusuf Baig finished back-to-back in sixth and seventh with times of 24:04.0 and 24:08.2. Rounding out Loyola’s scoring was graduate Hayden Healey in ninth at 24:11.0.

The next Rambler to cross the finish line was graduate Jason Clayton in 20th, clocking in at 24:40.3. Following Clayton was second-year Izak Bibile in 26th, timing at 24:44.7.

Fourth-year Colby Revord in 36th with a time of 24:55.4 en route to a personal record. Graduate Rodolfo Sanchez ended the men’s day in 45th with his time of 25:04.5.

With their top 10 finishes — Sinclair, Phillips, Boutin, Baig and Healey all earned All-Conference first team honors, which is awarded to the top-15 finishers at the event. Head coach Gavin Kennedy was awarded Men’s Coach of the Year for the third time.

Women’s Cross Country:

Loyola led the 6K with a total score of 51, 12 points ahead of second-place George Washington at 63.

Two Ramblers finished in the top five with fourth-year Roisin Treacy in second place with a time of 20:39.8 and third-year Bárbara Neiva in fifth at 21:16.5.

Next to finish was graduate Bethany Graham in seventh with her time of 21:20.0. The next Ramblers crossed consecutively in 18th and 19th in second-year Maggie Powers and third-year Eileen Seebon with times of 21:41.6 and 21:45.0.

The final two runners for Loyola were graduate Pippa Carcas in 34th at 22:01.9 and third-year Angy Salado Fernandez in 45th at 22:19.3.

Treacy, Neiva and Graham’s top 15 finishes led them to first-team All-Conference honors. Head coach Gavin Kennedy also won A10 Cross Country Coach of the Year for the seventh time in his Rambler tenure.

Loyola next takes the course Nov. 14 for the NCAA Midwest Regionals in Stillwater, Okla. where their runners will look to qualify for the NCAA Championships that take place the following weekend, Nov. 22 in Columbia, Mo.