Men's Cross Country News

3/11: Coach Butler Announces 2003 Team Awards

Head Coach Jim Butler has announced the 2003 team award winners:

MVP-Adam Fitzgerald-PG

Unsung Hero-John Ridyard-'06

Most Improved Runner-Luca DiGregorio '05

Rookie of the Year-Brian Adams '06

Coach's Cup-Adam Fitzgerald PG

2/5: Camels Attain Academic All-America Team Honor for 10th Time

NEW LONDON, Conn.--For the 10th time in 12 years, the Connecticut College men’s cross country team has garnered Academic All-America honors from the NCAA Division III Cross Country Coaches Association. The team honor is bestowed upon a team that has a combined cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.10 or higher. The Camels have earned this academic honor in all but two occasions since the award was initiated in 1992.

Sophomore John Ridyard (Storrs, CT) has been named an individual Academic All-American for the second straight year. This award requires the individual to have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher and to have placed in the top 25% of all runners at the regional championship. Ridyard placed 46th of 267 finishers at the regional meet. He was also named to the New England Small College Athletic Conference All-Academic team.

The men’s cross country team is coached by Jim Butler, who is in his 17th year at Connecticut College. Under Butler’s tutelage, the Camels qualified for the NCAA National Championships in 2002 and this past fall. Adam Fitzgerald became only the second runner in program history to earn All-American honors.

“I am especially proud of the team’s and John’s academic awards,” Butler stated. “These awards highlight the type of student athlete we are attracting to Connecticut College.”

11/22: Adam Fitzgerald Earns All-America Honors With 25th Place Finish at Nationals

NEW LONDON, Conn.--On a warm 70 degree day in Indiana, Adam Fitzgerald placed 25th at the NCAA Division III National Cross Country Championship, earning All-America honors for the first time. The top 35 finishers are named to the All-American team. Fitzgerald finished the 8,000 meter course in 25:44, only nine seconds behind tenth place in the race. The race was won by Josh Moen of Wartburg College in a time of 24:34.

The Championship, hosted by Hanover College, was run over an on-campus course consisting of rolling hills and a grass surface which was soft due to the previous week's rain. Fitzgerald (Carlisle, MA), a post-graduate student and the Camel's Co-Captain said "This was the most difficult race I have ever run. I ran hard from the starting gun and did not leave anything on the course."

Fitzgerald becomes the first All-American during Coach Jim Butler's 17-year tenure and the second in Camel Men's Cross Country history. The only other runner to achieve that honor was Connecticut College Athletics Hall of Fame member Dave Litoff in 1982. After the race Butler noted that Fitzgerlad had worked for this day for a long time. "Adam started planning to become an All-American when we were at the awards ceremony at last year's National Championship. He never waivered from that goal and did all the things needed to put himself in a position to go after it. He is without a doubt,
the hardest working athlete I have ever coached. I am so happy for him".

To view the complete results of the NCAA Championship, click here. NCAA Championship

11/8: Adam Fitzgerald Qualifies for NCAA Championship
Camels Finish Ninth at New England Division III Championship

NEW LONDON, Conn.--Adam Fitzgerald finished sixth in a field of 267 runners at the New England Division III Championship hosted by the University of Southern Maine at the Twinbrook Recreational Complex in Cumberland, Maine. His performance earned him an automatic invitation to Hanover, Indiana for the NCAA Division III Championship next Saturday. Fitzgerald posted a finishing time of 26:04, running an average of a 5:15 mile on the five-mile course.

Connecticut College placed ninth in the field of 38 schools, finishing in the top 25 percentile. The New England Small College Athletic Conference displayed its talent and depth, accounting for 10 of the top 12 finishing schools. Tufts University won the event with 74 points followed by Keene State (98) and Williams College (107)

The top four Camel finishers placed in the top 75 of the field. John Ridyard (Storrs, CT) was the second Camel to finish with a 46th place finish in 27:23. Sophomore Brian Adams (Pine Plains, NY) was 64th with a time of 27:52. Jesse Efron of Guilford was 74th running the course in 28 minutes flat.

Luca DiGregorio (Wethersfield, CT) checked in at the 78th position with a finishing time of 28:03. Sophomore Jason Fitzgerald (Lexington, MA) finished in 28:16 and was 94th overall. Eric Stepick Ayers (Henniker, NH) posted a time of 29:03 in 125th place.

Men’s Team Results
1. TUFTS
2. KEENE
3. WILLIAMS
4. AMHERST
5. MIT
6. BATES
7. COLBY
8. BOWDOIN
9. CONNECTICUT COLLEGE
10. WESLEYAN

New England Division III Championship Results

-Camels-

11/8: Three Camels Place in top 45 at ECAC Championship

NEW LONDON, Conn.--The Connecticut College men’s cross country team was in action Saturday morning at the ECAC Championship. The event was hosted by Tufts University on their Farm Course in Grafton, Mass. Running with a different group of six runners, the Camels finished 15th out of 33 teams with a total of 421 points. Tufts University won the event with 38 points followed by Keene State (82) and Williams College (152).

Eric Stepick Ayers (Henniker, NH) was the first Camel to finish, posting a time of 28:16.08 in 33rd place. Ryan Bartro (Beverly, MA) was 43rd overall with a time of 28:26.29. Jason Fitzgerald (Lexington, MA) was the third Camel finisher, placing 45th overall with a time of 28:31.37.

Ben Alander (Hamden, CT) was 138th, posting a time of 31:00.53. Brendan Duffey (Boxford, MA) timed out at 32:07.09 in 162nd place. Ryan Harnedy checked in with a time of 33:24.17 running near his hometown of Westborough, Mass. The Camels will compete in the New England Division III Championship next Saturday in Cumberland, Maine.

ECAC Championship Results

11/1: Adam Fitzgerald Finishes 4th at NESCAC Championship

NEW LONDON, Conn.--The Connecticut College men’s cross country team traveled to Middlebury, Vermont for the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship. Adam Fitzgerald (Carlisle, MA) added another chapter to his storied Camel running career, finishing fourth overall at the 8k meet with a time of 26:44. It was the highest finish for a men’s Connecticut College runner in a conference championship meet and also marked the second consecutive year that Fitzgerald placed in the top seven and earned First Team All-NESCAC Honors.

The Camel men finished sixth overall in the meet, scoring 166 points. Tufts won the event with 48 points followed by Williams College (57) and Amherst College (89). John Ridyard (Storrs, CT) finished in 22nd place for the Camels with a time of 27:24.5. Sophomore Brian Adams (Pine Plains, NY) checked in with a 40th place finish in a time of 28:11.1.

Luca DiGregorio (Wethersfield, CT) posted a timeof 28:25.8 for a 46th place Camel finish. Jason Fitzgerald (Lexington, MA) was 54th overall with a time of 28:39.0. Ryan Bartro (Beverly, MA) was 66th with a time of 29:11.7. Jesse Efron (Guilford, CT) finished 68th in a time of 29:14.5. Eric Stepick Ayers (Henniker, NH) was 93rd overall with a time of 29:43.10.

NESCAC Men's Championship Results

10/18: Camels Finish Third-Three Runners Finish in top 25 at Twinbrook Invitational

NEW LONDON, Conn.--The Connecticut College men's cross country team was in action Saturday afternoon at the Twinbrook Invitational in Cumberland, Maine. The Camels enjoyed a fine day of running, placing third out of 13 schools with 93 points Tufts and MIT, two of the top five ranked teams in New England place first and second respectively in the men’s event.

The Camel men were paced by Adam Fitzgerald (Carlisle, MA). Fitzgerald inked his name on the All-Invitational team with a 4th place finish in a time of 27:09. Jesse Efron (Guilford, CT) also had a big day, finishing 12th with a time of 27:22. John Ridyard (Storrs, CT) posted a time of 27:36 for a 22nd place finish.

Brian Adams (Pine Plains, NY) was 33rd for the Camels with a time of 28:06. Luca DiGregorio (Wethersfield, CT) was 38th (28:14) and Jason Fitzgerald (Lexington, MA) was the sixth Camel to cross with a 57th place finish in a time of 28:47. Eric Stepick Ayers (Henniker, NH) was 67th (29:10) and Ryan Bartro (Beverly, MA) was the next Camel finisher in 87th place with a time of 29:39.

Other finishers for the Camels included Brendan Duffy in 130th place (31:33), Ben Alander in 140th place (32:05) and Ryan Harnedy at #153 in 34:50.

Twinbrook Invitational Results

10/10: All-New England Championship Results

NEW LONDON, Conn. --The Connectiuct College men's cross country team was in action at the All-New England Championship in Boston, Mass. The Camels finished 30th out of 47 schools and were the 12th among the Division III entries. The Camels scored 773 points. Providence College finished first with 40 points.

Adam Fitzgerald (Carlisle, MA) was the top finisher for the Camels, finishing with the 13th fastest time of the Division III runners (25:58) and in 64th place overall. John Ridyard (Storrs, CT) was 145th overall with a time of 26:42. Jesse Efron (Guilford, CT) finished in 163rd place, posting a time of 26:54. Luca DiGregorio (Wethersfield, CT) was 193rd with a time of 27:13. Brian Adams (Pine Plains, NY) (213) and Luke Wanami (Eldoret, Kenya) (241) posted respective times of 27:28 and 27:57 for the Camels.
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The Camels will return to action next Saturday at the Twinbrook Invitational in Cumberland, Maine.

All-New England Championship Results

9/20: Camels 5th at UMass-Dartmouth Invitational

NEW LONDON, Conn. --Saturday afternoon, the Men's Cross Country team scored 165 points to place 5th of 32 teams competing on a hot and humid day at the always competitive UMass-Dartmouth Invitational. The meet was won by NESCAC rival Amherst. The first Camel finisher was post-graduate student and Co-Captain Adam Fitzgerald (Carlisle, MA) in 14th place (26:09). Senior Co-Captain Jesse Efron (Guilford, CT) was second man for the team placing 36th in a time of 27:01.

Also scoring in a tight pack for the Camels were sophomores John Ridyard(Storrs, CT) who finished 44th (27:28), Brian Adams (Pine Plains, NY)in 47th (27:35), and Jason Fitzgerald (Lexington, MA) in 48th (27:36). Rounding out the team's finishers in the varsity race were junior Luca DiGregorio (Wethersfield, CT) in 63rd (27:54) and senior Luke Wanami (Eldoret, Kenya) in 67th (28:04). In the sub-varsity race, sophomore Eric Stepick Ayers led the team with his 19th place finish running 28:40 for the 8,000 meter course. The Men's Cross Country team will be back in action at the All-New England Championships at Franklin Park on October 10th.

UMass Dartmouth Invitational Results

9/13: Camels Open Season With Seventh Place Finish at Connecticut College Invitational

NEW LONDON, Conn. --The Connecticut College men's cross country team kicked off the 2003 season hosting the Connecticut College Invitational Saturday afternoon at Harkness State Park in Waterford, CT.

The Camels scored 163 points, placing seventh out of 14 schools. The College of New Jersey, ranked #13 in the NCAA Division III Poll finished first with 56 points. 12th ranked Tufts was second with 78 points and Division II entry Southern Connecticut State (99 points) was third. NYU was fourth with 106 points and 16th ranked Williams College rounded out the top five finishers with 140 points.

Postgraduate Adam Fitzgerald (Carlisle, MA) picked up the new season right where he left off the last one, finishing seventh overall with a time of 25:44. This gives Fitzgerald the school record on the new course to go along with the 10,000 meter record he owns in track. Jesse Efron of Guilford was 14th overall, recording a time of 26:10. Sophomore John Ridyard (Storrs, CT) and junior Luca DiGregorio (Wethersfield, CT) finished 54th and 55th with respective times of 27:21 and 27:24.

Sophomore Jason Fitzgerald (Lexington, MA) was 57th , finishing in 27:29. Brian Adams (Pine Plains, NY) ran in 27:45 for a 66th place finish. Senior Luke Wanami (Eldoret, Kenya) was 74th with a finish of 27:57. Other Camel finishers included Eric Stepick Ayers (Henniker, NH) 29:10, Brendan Duffey (Boxford, MA) 29:45, Ryan Bartro (Beverly, MA) 30:00, Ben Alander (Hamden, CT) 31:30, and Matt Wertheimer (Whitefish Bay, WI) 33:26.

CC Invitational Men’s Results
1. College of New Jersey 56
2. Tufts 78
3. Southern Conn. State 99
4. New York University 106
5. Williams 140
6. Trinity 144
7. Connecticut College 163
8. New Haven 219
9. Coast Guard 247
10. Roger Williams 275
11. UMass-Dartmouth 294
12. Babson 312
13. Mercy INC
14. Molloy INC

Connecticut College Invitational Results

Action at the Connecticut College Invitational

Scenic Harkness Park - Waterford, Connecticut

9/8: 2003 Preview: Camels Ready to Roll Following Memorable 2002 Season

Despite losing six runners to graduation from last year's team that finished 4th in New England and 20th at the NCAA National Championships, the Connecticut College Men's Cross Country team is ranked 7th in the pre-season New England poll.

Coach Jim Butler enters his 17th season as the coach of the Camels, who will open their season on September 13th hosting the Connecticut College Invitational at Harkness Memorial State Park. The team will be led by co-captain Adam Fitzgerald, who was All-New England in cross country last year and both the NESCAC and All-New England champion in the 10,000 meters during outdoor track season. The other co-captain will be senior Jesse Efron, who also earned All-New England honors at the regional meet last fall.

Sophomore John Ridyard, the Camels fourth man last year, returns with national championship experience. Senior Luke Wanami, junior Luca DiGregorio, sophomore transfer (U. of New Hampshire) Brian Adams, and sophomores Jason Fitzgerald, Ryan Bartro, Eric Ayers, and Brendan Duffey will all be counted on to score for the Camels.

9/2: Camels Ranked Seventh in New England Division III Pre-Season Poll

The Connecticut College men’s cross country program is ranked seventh in the New England Division III pre-season poll. The Camels are coming off their finest year in program history. The 2002 squad earned a trip to the NCAA Division III Championship meet and finished with a final ranking of #20 in the nation. The Camels open the 2003 season September 13 at Harkness State Park in nearby Waterford with the running of the Connecticut College Invitational.
1) Keene State (5) 86
2) Tufts (4) 82
3) Williams 75
4) Amherst 59
5) MIT 46
6) Wesleyan 34
7) Connecticut College 27
t8) Bates 20
t8) Bowdoin 20
10) Trinity 19