Ian Fitzgerald Takes Third, Runs Below Previous Course Record
11/12/05 9:47PM
GREENVILLE, NC - 17th-ranked William and Mary won it's eighth regional championship and ninth consecutive bid to the NCAA Championships Saturday morning on East Carolina's Lake Kristi course, defeating No. 19 Virginia and the 30-team field by 23 points. With the win, the Tribe receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships on November 21, held at the same course in Terre Haute, Indiana where the team tied for sixth in the Brooks Pre-National Invitational one month ago. Liberty's Josh McDougal won by nine seconds, running 29:40.1 to shatter the previous course record of 30:06.
2005 Colonial Athletic Association champion Ian Fitzgerald (Glenshaw, PA) led five W&M harriers on the All-Southeast team (comprised of the top 25 finishers) by finishing third overall. His time of 30:04.9 also beat the previous course record, set last year in the region championship. Senior Jeff Hedley (Virginia Beach, VA) took 12th, three spots ahead of classmate Matt Keally (Virginia Beach, VA), last year's CAA champion. With his performance, Keally achieved the difficult feat of being named to the all-region team every year he competed, while Hedley will complete his career with three all-region honors. Sean Anastasia-Murphy (Gloucester, MA) earned his first all-region certificate by out-kicking a Virginia athlete to the finish line for 17th, giving the College four athletes in before the Cavaliers put their third across. Junior Adam Tenerowicz (Blackstone, MA) completed the scoring in 21st, crossing the line in 30:41.5. The Tribe's final two competitors finished together, with sophomore Dave Mock (Johnstown, PA) finishing 35th and junior Keith Bechtol (Alexandria, VA) finishing 36th.
These seven student-athletes, plus one alternate, will travel to Terra Haute for the National Championships on Monday, November 21. The rest of the men's cross country team will head to New York City next Saturday, November 19, for the 97th annual IC4A Championships, which feature many of the top teams from the Mid-Atlantic and New England. Last season, the College took second at IC4A's behind Anastasia-Murphy's 5th-place performance.
NCAA Southeast Regional Championship
Place Team Score
1. #17 WILLIAM AND MARY 68
2. #19 Virginia 91
3. North Carolina State 96
4. Duke 198
5. James Madison 204
Top Five Finishers:
Place Individual (Team) Time
1. Josh McDougal (LU) 29:40.1
2. Jacob Korir (EKU) 29:49.8
3. Ian Fitzgerald (W&M) 30:04.9
4. Jan Foerster (UVA) 30:09.5
5. Allen Carr (JMU) 30:10.9
Other W&M Top 25 (All-Southeast Region)
12. Jeff Hedley 30:28.5
15. Matt Keally 30:36.0
17. Sean Anastasia-Murphy 30:39.7
21. Adam Tenerowicz 30:41.5
Other W&M Individuals
35. Dave Mock 31:14.3
36. Keith Bechtol 31:14.5