ECC Men's and Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll Released; Mugun Named Preseason Runner of the Year

*Courtesy of ECC Media Relations

ECC 2012 Cross Coutnry Preseason Video

CENTRAL ISLIP, NY – After capturing the 2011 East Coast Conference Championships, the LIU Post Men's and Women's  Cross Country teams have been named the preseason favorites as voted upon by the league's coaches.  Senior Hillary Mugun (Nandi Hills, Kenya) from University of the District of Columbia and sophomore Gladys Kimutai (Eldama Ravime, Kenya) from New York Institute of Technology are named the ECC Preseason Runners of the Year for their respective gender.

In the men's poll, the Pioneers captured eight of nine first place votes, finishing with 79 total points. In 201,1 LIU Post clinched their third straight conference championship with four of the top eight finishers in the championship meet wearing green and gold. For the second straight year, Christian Altamura paced the way for the Pioneers, earning a spot on the All-Conference First Team with a third place finish.

Molloy earns the No. 2 spot on the men's poll with the final first place votes and 69 points.  St. Thomas Aquinas rounds out the top three with 58 points.

On the women's side, the Pioneers grabbed five first place votes and 75 points to take the top spot.  LIU Post won their first ever ECC Women's Cross Country Championship in 2011 behind the efforts of four All-Conference runners. Jennifer McLaughlin was the top finisher for the Pioneers, placing sixth with a time of 19:52.91 to earn a spot on the All-Conference First Team.  

St. Thomas Aquinas leads three other teams receiving first place votes with two. The Lady Spartans finished with 66 points, placing second in the poll. NYIT and Roberts Wesleyan also grabbed first place votes. Despite the first place vote, Roberts Wesleyan will be ineligible to win the ECC Championship as first year provisional members of the NCAA. Molloy College wraps up the top three with 53 points.

Mugun finished second in the ECC Championship in 2011 with a time of 25:54.69 to earn a spot on the All-Conference First Team.

Kimutai was the top freshman finisher in 2011, coming in second overall in a time of 18:43.58 to win the ECC Rookie of the Year award.

2012 ECC Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll                                    2012 ECC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll

School                                                   Pts.                                                        School                                                   Pts.

1. LIU Post (8)                                         79                                                           1. LIU Post (5)                                       75

2. Molloy (1)                                            69                                                           2. St. Thomas Aquinas (2)                      66

3. St. Thomas Aquinas                            58                                                           3. Molloy                                                 53

4. Dowling                                              51                                                           4. Dowling                                               52

5. Queens                                              40                                                           5. NYIT (1)                                               46

5. Roberts Wesleyan                             40                                                           6. Roberts Wesleyan (1)                          46

7. NYIT                                                   33                                                           7. Queens                                                38

8. District of Columbia                            27                                                           8. Bridgeport                                           16

9. Bridgeport                                          10                                                           9. District of Columbia                             13

( ) –first place votes

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About the ECC

Founded as the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference in 1989 and rechristened the East Coast Conference in July 2006, the ECC was formed to enhance intercollegiate athletic competition among member institutions and to assist them in integrating athletics into their academic program in a fiscally sound way. The ECC is committed to the highest standards of scholarship, sportsmanship, teamwork, and citizenship. Its mission is to promote the total person concept in its student-athletes, which stresses the abilities to excel in academic achievement, athletic competition, and positive character traits. East Coast Conference members include: University of Bridgeport (Conn.); Daemen College (Amherst, N.Y.); University of the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.); Dowling College (Oakdale, N.Y.); LIU Post (Brookville, N.Y.); Mercy College (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.); Molloy College (Rockville Centre, N.Y.); New York Institute of Technology (Old Westbury, N.Y.); Queens College (Flushing, N.Y.); Roberts Wesleyan College (Rochester, N.Y.); and St. Thomas Aquinas College (Sparkill, N.Y.). Associate Members include: Chestnut Hill College (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Dominican College (Orangeburg, N.Y.).

The ECC sponsors the following championship sports: baseball; men's and women's basketball; men's and women's cross country; men's and women's lacrosse; softball; men's and women's tennis; men's and women's soccer; and women's volleyball.

The East Coast Conference is a proud member of the NCAA and Division II. Division II is a dynamic and engaging group of colleges, institutions and conferences of varying sizes and educational missions. Division II members encourage and support diversity; value sportsmanship, fairness and equity; and place the highest priority on the overall educational excellence of the student-athlete.