UTICA, N.Y. – SUNY Institute of Technology captured the 2013 North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Men’s Cross Country Championship on its home course Saturday, as the event was held on the SUNYIT campus in Utica, N.Y.  The Wildcats put up a dominant performance, scoring 27 team points after placing five runners within the top-10 overall finishers en route to the title.

The performance helped earn head coach Bill Tylutki NEAC Coach of the Year honors after he was chosen through a vote by his peers.  In addition to the championship, Tylutki led the Wildcats to four other top-five team finishes this season.

The Wildcats were also led by sophomore Derek Struck (Knox, N.Y.), who was named the NEAC Runner of the Year after finishing in first place with a course-record time of 26:33.  The win capped off a fantastic year for Struck, who won three NEAC Runner of the Week awards behind a pair of first-place individual finishes and a second-place finish this season.

SUNY Cobleskill, the two-time defending champions, finished in second place with a team score of 54 points and were led by freshman Evan Quinones (Saratoga, N.Y.), who was named the NEAC Rookie of the Year after placing second individually with a time of 26:42.  It was another excellent outing for Quinones, who was a three-time NEAC Runner of the Week selection and won two invitational events this season.

Penn State Abington finished third with 72 points, while Penn State Berks placed fourth with 98 points and Morrisville State College took fifth place with 162 points.  Rounding out the rest of the 10-team field was: Lancaster Bible College (6^th, 174 points); Keuka College (7^th, 176 points); Gallaudet University (8^th, 212 points); Cazenovia College (9^th, 236 points); and Wells College (10^th, 246 points).

Rounding out the top-five individual finishers was Penn State Abington sophomore and last year’s NEAC Runner of the Year Alex Kane (Doylestown, Pa.) along with SUNYIT seniors Dylan Parry (Voorheesville, N.Y.) and Christopher Wicks (Baldwinsville, N.Y.).  Below are the full NEAC All-Conference First Team, Second Team and Third Team selections, which were chosen based on finish times at the championship race.

All-Conference Team Selections 

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The North Eastern Athletic Conference has twelve NCAA Division III member institutions which include: Cazenovia College, College of St. Elizabeth, Gallaudet University, Keuka College, Lancaster Bible College, Pennsylvania State University - Abington, Pennsylvania State University - Berks, SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Institute of Technology, SUNY Morrisville State College, Wells College, and Wilson College.  Bryn Athyn College and Pennsylvania College of the Technology will both join the conference as full members in 2014-15.  Associate members are: Cedar Crest College (W Swimming), D’Youville College (M Volleyball), Hilbert College (M Lacrosse & M Volleyball), Medaille College (M&W Lacrosse & M Volleyball), Penn State Altoona (M Volleyball) and Rutgers University - Camden (M Golf & M Tennis).  The North Eastern Athletic Conference has partnered with the North Atlantic Conference in the sports of men’s and women’s tennis.