Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Eastern Michigan University Athletics

2010 MAC Champions!
Walt Middleton Photography

Men's Cross Country Wins 15th MAC Championship

Sophomore Terefe Eligu also becomes the 18th EMU runner to win the individual title

Individual Results.

Team Results.

Photo Gallery.

Listen to Coach Goodridge.

THREE RIVERS, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University men's cross country team kept the Eagles' championship tradition alive here Saturday in the 2010 Mid-American Conference Men's Cross Country Championships.

The Eagles scored 66 points en route to their 15th conference title, led by first team All-MAC honoree, sophomore Terefe Ejigu (Mount Cook, Wellington-Wellington College, New Zealand) who took first place this afternoon. Ejigu became the 18th EMU runner to win the individual championship in the 30th running of the MAC meet when he ran a winning time of 24:08 over the 8,000-meter course.

Senior Captain Matt Hammersmith (Wolcottville, Mich.-Prairie Heights) suffered an unfortunate injury during the race and was unable to finish for the Eagles, but Head Coach John Goodridge was proud of how his team stepped up.

"Our captain got injured during the race," said Goodridge. "His teammates saw that, but thankfully they responded the right way and picked up the slack to bring home the title."

Not only did they step up in place of their fallen teammate, but they overcame the pressures that lingered from last years runner up finish to the 2009 MAC Champion, Kent State.

“Six of the seven runners today were from last year's team which did not win," said Goodridge. "We had a four-year streak of conference titles and were looking to break an EMU record of five in-a-row, so that hurt last year after our second place finish. It created a lot of pressure on our guys to bring the championship back to Ypsilanti, but they overcame and did just that.”

Several EMU runners posted impressive performances on the afternoon, including that of freshman Harry Dixon (Nelson, New Zealand-Nayland College) who recorded a 12th place finish for the Green and White, earning him second-team All-MAC accolades after crossing the line at 25:07.5. Not far behind was teammate Austin Hendrix (Sylvania, Ohio-Northview) who came through with a time of 25:14.5 in the 15th spot.

Sophomore James Hughes (Manchester, Mich-Manchester) finished 18th at 25:18.7, and Andrew Pfeiffer (Clarence, N.Y.-Clarence) rounded out rounded out the top-20 with a time of 25:23.0. Ransom Brown (Coldwater, Mich.-Coldwater) and Cole Sanseverino (Monroe, Mich.-Monroe) placed 42nd and 47th, respectively.

Goodridge was named MAC Head Coach of the Year for the sixth time, and today's victory also marked the sixth conference title earned in his tenure with the Eagles.

2010 MAC Men's Cross Country All-MAC First Team
Terefe Ejigu, Eastern Michigan
Ridge Robinson, Ohio
Scott Hilditch, Kent State
David Eichenberger, Miami
Scott Meyers, Ohio
Michael Perry, Miami
Jason Drudge, Central Michigan

2010 MAC Men's Cross Country All-MAC Second Team

Jonathan Dewitt, Toledo
Elisha Kipchumba, Toledo
Andy Knapp, Akron
Mike Heller, Kent State
Harry Dixon, Eastern Michigan
Ryan Bloom, Buffalo
Nick Thomas, Toledo

2010 MAC Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year

John Goodridge, Eastern Michigan

Print Friendly Version

Related Videos

Related Stories