The 2015 Emory men’s cross country program displayed a firm resolve throughout the course of the season which resulted in a number of both team and individual accomplishments .
With a number of younger runners coming into their own, combined with a veteran presence, Emory's biggest attribute was consistency. The highlight of the campaign took place when the Eagles captured their second straight NCAA South/Southeast Region championship, topping runner-up Christopher Newport by 10 points. All of Emory's five scorers ranked among the top 25, and in the process brought home all-region honors. Fourth-year junior Lukas Mees topped the 203-runner field with an 8K time of 25:46, and in the process became the first Emory runner to win the individual title since Phil Hagedorn in 2003. Juniors Michael Sisario and Grant Murphy each raced to all-region kudos after finishing 19th and 21st, respectively, while junior Austin Hunt (22nd), sophomore Max Brown (23rd) and sophomore Michael McBane (25th) were the program's other all-region honorees. The No. 1 finish at Regionals allowed the Eagles to move on and compete in the NCAA D-III Championships for the third straight year where they finished 29th.
In addition to its finish at NCAA Regionals, Emory recorded a runner-up showing out of 11 teams at the Charlotte Invitational and placed third out of 19 squads at the Furman Classic. The Eagles competed at the prestigious AAE Invitational in Winneconne, Wisconsin, registering a 16th-place finish in a 45-team field. Emory recorded a fifth-place finish at the University Athletic Association Championships and was led by Mees, who runner-up effort allowed him to land First Team All-UAA honors, Emory's first such honoree since 2009.
Mees was the team's No. 1 finisher in all eight competitions and was selected by the USFTCCCA as the South/Southeast Region Athlete of the Year. His personal-best 8K time of 25:02 at the league championships represented the program's 10th-fastest 8K mark ever.
Honors and Awards
South/Southeast Region Athlete of the Year |
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Lukas Mees |
Marion, IA |
Junior (4th year) |
All-South/Southeast Region | ||
Lukas Mees | Marion, IA | 1st Place |
Michael Sisario | San Ramon, CA | 19th Place |
Grant Murphy | Hillsborough, CA | 21st Place |
Austin Hunt | Bentonville, AR | 22nd Place |
Max Brown | Warren, NJ | 23rd Place |
Michael McBane | Chesterfield, VA | 25th Place |
USTFCCCA All-Academic Team |
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Lukas Mees |
Marion, IA |
Junior (4th year) |
Grant Murphy | Hillsborough, CA | Junior |
Austin Hunt | Bentonville, AR | Junior |
Max Brown | Warren, NJ | Sophomore |
Michael McBane | Chesterfield, VA | Junior |
All-UAA |
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Lukas Mees |
First Team |
2nd Place |
CoSIDA Cross Country/Track and Field Academic All-American |
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Lukas Mees |
First Team |
Marion, IA |
Emory Most Valuable Runner | ||
Lukas Mees | ||
Emory Coaches' Award | ||
Michael McBane | ||
Emory Most Improved Runner | ||
Michael Sisario | ||
Emory Most Outstanding Newcomer | ||
Bennett Shaw | ||
CoSIDA Cross Country/Track and Field Academic All-District Team |
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Lukas Mees |
Marion, IA |
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UAA Athletes of the Week |
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Lukas Mees |
Nov. 16, 2015 |
Marion, IA |
Lukas Mees | Sept. 28, 2015 | Marion, IA |
Lukas Mees | Sept. 14, 2015 | Marion, IA |