RedHawk Men Dominate at MAC Championships

Saturday, October 27

Toledo, Ohio

11:00 a.m. ET

Miami University

MAC Championships

10/27/2018 1:30:00 PM | Track & Field, Cross Country

Results (PDF)

Miami’s men’s cross country team won its first MAC title since 1998.

TOLEDO, Ohio – A journey two decades in the making was completed as Miami's men's cross country team captured the Mid-American Conference title on Saturday afternoon.

The RedHawks' championship is their 21st in program history, second most in the MAC, as well as their first since 1998.

Miami's men blew away the field with 42 points in the team standings, less than half of Bowling Green's second-place total of 86. The women finished with 97 points, trailing only Eastern Michigan (76) and host Toledo (80). Miami Director of Cross Country/Track & Field Tom Chorny received MAC Men's Coach of the Year honors off of the performance.

"The guys walked away from this meet last year with a mission and they have not wavered from that goal since last year at this time," Chorny said. "We knew we needed to position ourselves early in the race because we didn't know the strength of the field. Our guys got off the line really well and all of our guys were in the top 20 for pretty much the whole race.

"We were running in pairs as the field separated and it was obvious halfway through that we just had to maintain to take the team title. We showed we have a strong team that is going to be tough to beat for years to come. This team is very deep and as we carry that to the regional meet that is going to make us a force to be reckoned with in two weeks."

Each member of the 'Hawks scoring five earned All-MAC honors as they each landed in the top 12 of the 8K race, including four finishing in the top-10. Twins Christopher Torpy and Sean Torpy paved the way by finishing fifth (24:39.0) and sixth (24:39.8), respectively. Also sliding in the top-10 were Matt Bromley (ninth; 24:47.0) and Ryan Pitner (24:47.1) with David Coffey closing out his run in 24:54.0, placing 12th.

While not scoring, Ryan Sharkey (15th; 25:05.7), Maxwell Lehnhardt (16th; 25:06.2) and Bradley Davis (17th; 25:08.8) all finished in the top-20 for a balanced Miami race. The Torpy twins both landed on the All-MAC First Team with their performances while Bromley, Pitner and Coffey garner Second-Team All-MAC recognition.

Miami's women held a tight pack for most of the first half of the race, holding a slight lead when the runners cleared nearly 2500 meters on the course. Alesha Vovk set the RedHawks' pace, earning First-Team All-MAC honors with a seventh-place finish. In her final MAC Championship race, Vovk finished the course in 21:01.45. Carly Davis also finished in the top 20, taking 17th in 21:39.79. Maegan Murphy (23rd; 21:59.68), Emma Bryant (24th; 22:02.94) and Emma Mashburn (26th; 22:06.50) rounded out the RedHawks' scoring.

"We knew what we had to do to win and we knew we needed a bit of a breakthrough from someone on the women's side," Chorny said. "They definitely got off the line like they needed to have a chance to win. It was excellent to see Alesha come away with first-Team All-MAC. We know we are within reach of a MAC title in the years to come on that side."

The RedHawks look to ride the momentum of Saturday's performance into Terre Haute, Ind. In two weeks when they compete at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional on Nov. 9.

Miami Results
Men's 8K
5. Christopher Torpy (24:39.0)
6. Sean Torpy (24:39.8)
9. Matt Bromley (24:47.0)
10. Ryan Pitner (24:47.1)
12. David Coffey (24:54.0)
15. Ryan Sharkey (25:05.7)
16. Maxwell Lehnhardt (25:06.2)
17. Bradley Davis (25:08.8)
25. Anthony Camerieri (25:30.7)

Women's 6K
7. Alesha Vovk (21:01.5)
17. Carly Davis (21:39.8)
23. Maegan Murphy (21:59.7)
24. Emma Bryant (22:03.0)
26. Emma Mashburn (22:06.5)
33. Claire Linn (22:16.9)
35. McKenna Fry (22:20.9)
42. Katherine Vitou (22:25.5)
44. Sarah Starrett (22:29.1)