STANDISH, Maine – The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Cross Country postseason awards have been announced and the GNAC Champion Saint Joseph's College men's squad is well represented.
Head Coach Tom Dann has been chosen, by vote of his fellow skippers, as the GNAC Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year, the fifth such honor of his collegiate career, after leading the Monks to their first championship since 1987 at the SJC course last Saturday.
Dann, along with coaches Mike Burleson and Troy Hendricks '22 (as well as track & field assistants Michael Roscoe and Kris Mason '21), have accomplished the top coaching staff sweep of the 2023 calendar year after claiming men's indoor and outdoor track & field Staff of the Year honors last spring.
Sophomore Jacob Pelletier (Augusta, Maine) claims GNAC Runner and Rookie of the Year accolades after winning the 8K race with a 27:54.7 performance. He's just the third SJC runner to win the men's race, as Ryan Prescott '09, who won the GNAC's twice (2007, 2008), and current assistant coach Troy Hendricks '22, who claimed the title last fall, are the two other Monks to top the conference field.
Three other Saint Joseph's runners claimed All-Conference honors after posting top-14 times in the 2023 event. Junior Ryan Graham (Hopkinton, N.H.) placed sixth (28:57.8) to join Pelletier on the First Team while sophomore Alexey Seredin (Peaks Island, Maine) was eighth (30:04.9) and senior Nick Carmosino (Acton, Mass.) placed 13th (30:50.9) to secure Second Team All-Conference honors.
Saint Joseph's closes out the 2023 campaign with an appearance in the NCAA DIII East Regional Championship, which will be hosted at the Hopkinton Fairgrounds (N.H.) on Saturday, November 11th.