Temple University Athletics
Men's Cross Country Posts Best Ever A-10 Finish
10.27.07 | Men's Cross Country
Oct. 27, 2007
PHILADELPHIA - The Temple men's cross country team placed 11th for its best ever finish at the Atlantic 10 Championships on Saturday morning at Philadelphia's Belmont Plateau. The Owls battled heavy rain and muddy conditions in just its third conference championship appearance since reviving the program in 2005 after a 20-year hiatus.
Freshman Charles Goold was the top TU finisher, covering the 8k course in a time of 27:21.0 to place 53rd. Classmate Mike May placed 63rd in a time of 27:35.0 and was followed by junior Adin Mickle (76th, 27:53.0).
Freshman Dante Vitagliano was 84th in a time of 28:07.0 and classmate Ryan Feehery rounded out the Owl lineup by placing 87th (28:12.0).
Temple had finished 13th in each of the past two conference races. Prior to 2005, the program had been dormant since last running in 1985.
As has been the case all season, the Owls were led by their promising freshman class. Six of the top seven Temple finishers were in their first year of eligibility and will look to continue TU's rise to the top of the A-10 standings.
La Salle won its second straight title and fifth in the past six years as five Explorers finished in the top 15. La Salle finished with 37 points, while senior Jonathan Molz (25:45.0, 3rd) led Richmond (54) to a second-place finish, its highest in program history.
Duquesne and Massachusetts tied for third place with 91 points, followed by Saint Joseph's (164), Dayton (199), George Washington (210), Xavier (221), Charlotte (222), Fordham (270), Temple (298), Saint Louis (310), Rhode Island (349) and St. Bonaventure (465).
Despite falling with about 300 meters remaining, senior Tom Slosky of Duquesne became the program's first-ever individual champion after crossing the finish line with a winning time of 25:39.0. He finished runner-up a year ago to La Salle's Sean Quigley.
Matt Lemon of Dayton garnered Most Outstanding Rookie honors after finishing eighth overall in a time of 25:54.0, while La Salle's Charles Torpey earned men's Coach of the Year honors for the seventh time.
Temple returns to action in two weeks at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals.
