LEBANON, Pa. - After an historic season that saw both LVC cross country teams turn in great overall finishes to go with individual success, head coach
James O'Brien '07 announced the team's postseason awards at their annual banquet Saturday.
Men’s MVP / Freshman MVP: Freshman
Matt Nesmith
Matt Nesmith was the fastest LVC finisher at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships, earning Regional All-Freshman accolades, and the second-fastest LVC finisher at the MAC Championships, earning the MAC Rookie of the Year award and Second-Team All-MAC honors. He finished the season with a 26:49 personal best for 8K (5:23 per mile).
Women’s MVP: Junior
Jenn Cronin
Jenn Cronin became LVC’s first female NCAA qualifier when she won the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships, earning USTFCCCA Mideast Regional Athlete of the Year honors. She finished 56th at the NCAA National Championships out of 280 competitors. She also earned the bronze medal at the MAC Championships for the second year in a row, earning a spot on the All-MAC First Team. Cronin finished the season with a 21:39 personal best for 6K (5:49 per mile), which is also a school record.
Women’s Freshman MVP: Freshman
Victoria Broderick
Broderick had a fantastic year until an in-race injury sidelined her right before the championship portion of the season. Broderick was running 1:30 faster for 5K then she was in high school and likely could have gone faster at Regionals if her shoelace did not untie at the Haverford Invite which led to her untimely injury. Victoria finished the season with a 27:33 season best for 6K (7:23 per mile).
Men’s Most Improved: Sophomore
Nick D’Angelo
Nick D’Angelo made the jump from being a solid competitor as a freshman to a huge asset to the team this year, finishing 24th at the MAC Championships and as the 21st-fastest MAC competitor at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships. Both performances fall right outside of Second Team All-MAC/Region honors. D'Angelo improved due to the large commitment he showed by putting in a tremendous amount of work over the summer months in the offseason. He finished the season with a 27:27 season best for 8K (5:31 per mile).
Women’s Most Improved: Sophomore
Emily Devivo
Emily Devivo put together a fantastic sophomore campaign, finishing as the fifth-fastest LVC runner at the MAC Championships to secure LVC’s fourth-place finish out of 15 teams, the best in school history. She finished her season with a one-minute personal best in 26:43 at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships, the thirrd LVC runner across the line (7:10 per mile).
Men’s Super Senior: Senior
Nick Wardle
Nick Wardle, a senior captain, played a large role in the team’s success this year by going above and beyond his captain’s duties on a daily basis to make sure that all of his teammates' needs were met. He put in a great summer of training only to be derailed by bronchitis midseason and was never able to get back in the groove following that setback. However, that was never due to lack of effort as he laid out what he had every day and finished his season on a strong note at the NCAA Mideast Regional meet. Wardles leadership abilities will be missed next year.
Women’s Super Senior: Senior
Megan Long
Megan Long made a huge splash in her first season ever running cross country, turning in multiple top-10 individual performances including a ninth-place finish at the MAC Championships, earning First-Team All-Mac honors in the process. She was instrumental in LVC’s fourth-place finish at MACs, giving LVC and incredible 1-2 punch. Megan finished the season with a 23:31 personal best for 6K (6:18 per mile). Megan has an additional year of eligibility that she will use next year during student teaching.
Men’s Tough As Nails: Freshman
Alex Talarico
The Tough As Nails award is given to an individual that encountered adversity beyond the norm of what is expected as a student athlete, but showed poise and character despite their hardship. Alex Talarico felt a little sluggish during the last few weeks of his season, which is typical of distance runners during their taper period at the end of their fall. He finished as the fifth runner for LVC at the MAC Championships and the fourth runner for LVC at the Mideast Regional Championships despite finishing a little slower than he had run earlier in the season. Talarico found out after the season that he had mononucleosis, which made his toughness at the end of the season all the more impressive. He finished the season with a 28:52 personal best for 8K (5:48 per mile).
Women’s Tough As Nails: Senior
Lauren Johnson
Lauren Johnson, like her classmate Megan Long, was competing in her first season of cross country and was LVC’s third runner for much of the season. During the very last week of the season, Johnson inexplicably became exhausted and was unable to even complete easier runs. As an individual that burns the candle at both ends, extra rest was thought to be the answer although it did not help her performance at the MAC championships as she ran a full 13 minutes slower then she had earlier in the year. After testing it turned out that she had picked up a case of Lyme's disease. Despite her disappointing end to the season, she was glad to have played a role in the team’s success this year, and she also has another year of eligibility as a fifth-year physical therapy student. Johnson finished the season with a 26:09 personal best for 6K (7:00 per mile).