Knights runners finish 2nd and 3rd at CVAC Championships

October 21, 2006

Complete release will be posted on Sunday

Men's Results
Women's Results

SPARTANBURG, S.C.—Sophomore Mitch Cooper was awarded the 2006 CVAC Runner of the Year after winning the CVAC Championship and freshman Pedro Tapia, Jr. was the CVAC Freshman of the Year pacing the Knights to second place in the men's 8k race. Sophomore Alyson Trovato was a First Team All-CVAC selection helping the Lady Knights to an impressive 3rd place finish in the women's 5k race.

Cooper, last years CVAC freshman of the year, won the individual title at the Milikan Research Park (hosted by Converse College) with a blazing time of 26:07.

Senior Tim Bourke was the second fastest Knight with a fourth place finish, concluding the meet in 26:33.

Tapia's fifth place finish with a time of 26:34 was the fastest freshman time. Tapia is the third straight St. Andrews men's runner to win the CVAC Freshman of the Year title.

Cooper, Bourke, and Tapia were all named to the All-CVAC First Team.

Freshman Ryan Janes followed just behind in sixth place with a time of 26:55, which was good for Second Team All-CVAC honors.

Rounding out the Knights top-five scoring runners was sophomore Perry Morris, who finished in 48th with a speed of 29:48.

The 2005 CVAC Champs finished just five points behind this years champions, Anderson University, with a team total of 61 points.

Trovato led the Lady Knights assault of the Milikan Research Park with a fifth place finish with a time of 19:48. Trovato's high finish earned First Team All-CVAC status.

Junior Veronica Gobeyn made the All-CVAC Second Team with a powerful seventh place finish, stopping the clock in 20:06.

Crossing the finish line in 11th was sophomore Leah Nicholson, who was an All-CVAC Honorable Selection with her time of 20:29.

Other high finishes for the St. Andrews women's team were freshman Rachael Ambrosia (21:21; 11th); freshman Heather Woodard (21:47; 32nd); and junior Tessa Franz (22:00; 35th).

The Lady Knights, who have suprised the conference all year finished in third place out of 12 teams with 78 total points. Anderson won the team title with 49 points and Lees-McRae College finished second with 68.

St. Andrews will next compete in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional on Saturday, November 4. The St. Andrews men’s team finished second on same Wingate University course last year to qualify for nationals.