BYRNE WINS NE-REGION COACH OF THE YEAR; GAELS SET TO TAKE ON TERRE HAUTE
MAAC Sports
Terre Haute, IN- Iona College men's cross country head coach Mick Byrne was named Northeast Region Coach of the Year after leading the Gaels to their second straight Regional Title at Van Cortlandt Park. In addition, five members of the squad were named All-Region.
Byrne - whose team is ranked No. 4 in the nation entering this afternoon's NCAA Cross Country Championship - led Iona to its fourth regional title in the last five years as well as the school's 16th straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship, currently the third longest streak in the country. It was the second year in a row he earned Northeast Coach of the Year.
Senior Ed Baynes, juniors Abraham Ng'etich, Chase Pizzonia, and Harbert Okuti and sophomore Mohamed Khadraoui were all named All-Region. The quintet all finished in the Top 25 to pace the Gaels to the win in Riverdale. Khadraoui was the second overall finisher while teammates Ng'etich (5th) and Okuti (7th) finished in the top 10. Pizzonia crossed the line in 20th place while Baynes was the last Iona scorer in 25th.
The Gaels top seven runners at the national championship will include its top three finishers at regionals in addition to senior Adam Hortian, junior Mathew Kiplagat, red shirt freshman Pat Caufield and the 2006 debut of sophomore Andrew Ledwith. The Maroon & Gold fields one their deepest squads in their history and look to make a run at the national title in the 1:15 race at the LaVerne Gibson Championship Cross Country Course at the Wabash Family Sports Center.
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