2008 NESCAC Championships

Middlebury, Williams tie for NESCAC Women's Cross Country title; Williams men, Hamilton's Kosgei repeat

NEW GLOUCESTER, Maine -- The 2008 NESCAC Cross Country Championships saw repeat champions in the men's team and individual competition, while on the women's side new team and individual champions were crowned. The races were held at Pineland Farms, hosted by Bates College.

Hamilton College's Peter Kosgei (Kapsabet, Kenya) won his second straight men's NESCAC championship, covering the 8-kilometer course at Bates' home course in 25:07, a new course record, 35 seconds ahead of runner-up Edgar Kosgey (Eldoret Rift Valley, Kenya) of Williams. Kosgey, who edged out Tufts' Jesse Faller (Burlington, Mass.) as first runner-up, 25:42 to 25:43, led his Ephs to their third consecutive team title, as Williams placed all of its top five runners among the top 17 in the race, scoring 44 points as a team. Runner-up Trinity scored 85, and Amherst finished third with 93.

The women's team title was shared by Middlebury and Williams, both with 48 points, as both the Panthers and Ephs placed their top five runners among the race's top 15 individual finishers. Colby was third with 125 points, followed by Tufts (139) and 2007 NESCAC champion Amherst was fifth with 143. Amherst's Elise Tropiano (Plainview, N.Y.) took the individual title, covering the women's 6K course in 21:49 -- also a course record, as the race was the first on the women's 6K course at Pineland. Stephanie McNamara (North Attleborough, Mass.) of Tufts finished second in 22:17, followed by Middlebury's Alexandra Krieg (Wellesley, Mass.) in 22:25.

Williams' men's NESCAC title is its 11th, tops in the conference. On the women's side, Williams also wins its 11th title, tops in the conference, while Middlebury gains its ninth, second best in the conference.

Men's Team Scores
1. Williams    44
2. Trinity    85
3. Amherst    93
4. Tufts    129
5. Conn. Coll.    130
6. Middlebury    143
7. Bowdoin    176
8. Hamilton    199
9. Wesleyan    202
10. Bates    216
11. Colby    351

Women's Team Scores
T-1. Middlebury    48
T-1. Williams    48
3. Colby    125
4. Tufts    139
5. Amherst    143
6. Bowdoin    148
7. Bates    156
8. Wesleyan    219
9. Conn. Coll.    258
10. Hamilton    259
11. Trinity    292