Contact:
Lou Groce, Director of Media and Information, 920-229-8157
JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – The Cornell College men’s cross country team won its first Midwest Conference (MWC) title since 1961 on Saturday at the 2017 MWC Cross Country Championship at The Links at Jacksonville.
Results
The Rams produced four of the top six runners on Saturday as they totaled just 35 points, 31 points ahead of second-place Grinnell College. Cuyler Gabriel led the way for the champions as he finished runner-up to MWC Champion Josh Janusiak of Lawrence University. Mason Wicker finished behind Gabriel in third, while Austin Bach and Caleb Wilson took fifth and sixth, respectively. Matt Stoll was the final scorer for Cornell and he also earned All-MWC honors with a 19
th-place finish.
The championship is Cornell’s first men’s cross country title since 1961 and its first men’s MWC championship since 1995. Dan Schofer and his assistants were named the Coaching Staff of the Year by the league coaches after the meet.
Janusiak is the first back-to-back champion since Grinnell’s Frank Canday in 2012-13. The junior is also the first Lawrence runner to win two straight titles since Eric Griffin in 1984-85.
Grinnell College produced the league’s Newcomer of the Year and the Elite 20 Award winner. The Pioneer’s Mathew Lieberman finished in 16
th to earn the Newcomer of the Year award, while sophomore Alex Kleinjan earned the Elite 20 Award which is given to the competitor with the highest grade-point average. Kleinjan has not declared a major and finished 108
th in today’s race.
Team Standings
| 1. Cornell |
35 |
| 2. Grinnell |
66 |
| 3. Lake Forest |
76 |
| 4. Lawrence |
131 |
| 5. Monmouth |
138 |
| 6. St. Norbert |
148 |
| 7. Beloit |
185 |
| 8. Knox |
214 |
| 9. Ripon |
253 |
| 10. Illinois College |
301 |
All-MWC Performers
| 1. Josh Janusiak |
Lawrence |
24:58.7 |
| 2. Cuyler Gabriel |
Cornell |
25:15.2 |
| 3. Mason Wicker |
Cornell |
25:21.4 |
| 4. John Lennon |
Grinnell |
25:26.9 |
| 5. Austin Bach |
Cornell |
25:36.2 |
| 6. Caleb Wilson |
Cornell |
25:36.5 |
| 7. Jonathan Stern |
Lake Forest |
25:39.5 |
| 8. Joe Kortenhof |
Lawrence |
25:47.9 |
| 9. Jorge Villanueva |
Lake Forest |
25:50.6 |
| 10. Cooper Pauley |
Monmouth |
25:57.5 |
| 11. Jarek Kish |
Ripon |
26:00.2 |
| 12. Dan Arkes |
Beloit |
26:04.5 |
| 13. Philip Wilson |
Lake Forest |
26:07.3 |
| 14. Pieter Hansen |
Grinnell |
26:09.3 |
| 15. Jackson Schulte |
Grinnell |
26:17.3 |
| 16. Matthew Lieberman |
Grinnell |
26:20.9 |
| 17. Daniel Krewson |
Grinnell |
26:23.4 |
| 18. Matthew Phipps |
Grinnell |
26:24.2 |
| 19. Matt Stoll |
Cornell |
26:25.0 |
| 20. Lucas Chamberland |
Grinnell |
26:29.2 |