STANDISH, ME - Saint Joseph's Cross Country Head Coach Tom Dann has announced the 2009 team awards. Following each season, the coaching staff selects individuals to receive four awards for each team - Most Valuable Runner, Most Improved Runner, Best Rookie and Coaches Award - and one athlete from either team is honored with the Prefontaine Award, which is given yearly to the most dedicated and complete runner in the cross country program.

Senior Ryan Prescott (Pittsfield, NH), undoubtedly one of the top runners in program history, is the 2008 Men's Cross Country Most Valuable Runner and also was honored with the coveted Prefontaine Award. Prescott capped his impressive four years with a 28th place effort (27:02.9) in the NCAA Regionals on November 15th, which is the best finish in Coach Dann's thirteen seasons at the helm. The three-sport athlete (club ice hockey, men's lacrosse) owns the top five, and 15 of the top 23, times on the All-Dann Team, which includes all times earned in Coach Dann's tenure. For the second-straight year, Prescott garnered GNAC Runner of the Year and All-Conference Honors by winning the conference championship race, which was hosted by St. Joe's each of the last two seasons. This time around, Prescott, a four-time recipient of GNAC Runner of the Week honors in ‘08, shattered his own course record by 48 seconds with a 26:53 effort in the 8K event. Dating back to his sophomore season, Prescott was the top SJC runner in 21 consecutive races, winning four meets and placing in the top ten on 20 occasions.

Nico Tarquinio ‘10 (Southbridge, MA) has received the 2008 Most Improved Runner Award. After competing in one race as a sophomore, Tarquino ran in seven events this fall and posted a season-best time of 34:32 in the State of Maine Championship on October 18th.

Bobby Britten ‘12 (Scarborough, ME) has been named as the Best Rookie for the 2008 campaign. Britten finished in the top 15 four times and placed 8th in the GNAC Championship meet to garner All-Conference recognition. The freshman was named the Conference Rookie of the Week on three occasions.

Jeremy Allen ‘10 (Rutland, VT), Kevin McKim ‘09 (North Attleboro, MA) and Vinny Micucci ‘09 (Yarmouth, ME) all received Coaches Award honors, which recognizes the runners who best demonstrate a positive attitude and work ethic during the season.