Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
MAC Championships
Chippewas Win Third Straight MAC Title
10/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
TOLEDO, Ohio--It's a three-peat for the Central Michigan University men's cross country team which won its seventh Mid-American Conference title today in Toledo. The 8k race was held at Ottawa Park Golf Course.
CMU, which is ranked 25th in the nation, had all of its runners finish in the top 25, including senior Tristen Perlberg who captured the individual title with a time of 24:42.25. He became the ninth individual champion in school history and the first since All-American Richie Brinker in 1998.
The Chippewas also won team titles in 1982, 1988, 1989, 1999, 2002 and 2003.
"It was great to see all of the seniors really pull through today," said head coach Craig Fuller. "Everyone ran exceptionally well which is evident considering all nine runners finished in the top 25. Perlberg and (Jake) Flynn really stepped it up today, you can't ask for much more than first and third-place finishes. We are now looking ahead to regionals and nationals, and if we run the way we did today we have a great chance of beating out some top-ranked teams."
CMU coach Craig Fuller was tabbed MAC "Coach of the Year" for the third straight year and the fourth time in his career.
All Five Chippewas that scored were named All-MAC. Joining Perlberg at the front of the pack was Flynn who finished in third with a time of 24:59.15. This is the third year in-a-row that both Perlberg and Flynn have been named All-MAC. Perlberg has been named first team for the last three years, while Flynn was first team in 2001, 2002, 2004 and second team in 2003.
MAC Commissioner Rick Chryst presents Craig Fuller with the MAC Coach of the Year plaque.  | |
Also claiming second team honors were Jacques Henning in seventh (25:26.40), Dave Ernsberger in eighth (25:27.70) and Matt Loiselle in 12th (25:43.00). Ernsberger was also named second team All-MAC in 2002.
Also contributing to the championship were Frank Therrian (16th, 25:57.15), Jacob Crowe (20th, 26.06.55), Matthew Kaczor ( 23rd, 26.12.75) and Thomas Ruddy (25th, 26.16.80).
Following CMU's 31-point finish were Miami (57 points), Kent State (86), Ohio (107), Eastern Michigan (116), Akron (148), Buffalo (196), Marshall (257), Toledo (258) and BGSU (262).
