Alfred State College junior Gavin Bathgate has earned his second consecutive Runner of the Year honors after claiming the individual title at the 2021 AMCC Cross Country Championship meet on Saturday. Bathgate started the season right where he finished last cross country season, as the defending AMCC champion won the first two races of the season (Buffalo State and Alfred State) and followed those wins up with a season best 8k performance of 26:47.6 at the Mike Woods Invitational hosted by Geneseo. At the AMCC Championships, he won by over 22 seconds on the wet and muddy 8k course in Alfred. He registered a winning time of 29:25.1. Bathgate's times at the Mike Woods Invite and the Houghton Invitational stand as the top two times in the AMCC this season.
Penn State Behrend freshman Kody Klein has been tabbed as the AMCC Newcomer of the Year. Klein recorded the 13th (28:18.8 on 10/2 at Live in Lou Classic) and 14th (28:24.2 on 10/15 at Oberlin Inter-Regional Rumble) fastest times this year in the AMCC. He made his season and collegiate debut at the Houghton College Invitational, placing 11th with a 16:38.02 time in the 5K. Klein placed fifth in the AMCC Championship with a time of 31:07.61, being the top freshman finisher in the race. Klein has contributed to Behrend’s scoring in each of his five races this season and has not been beaten by another AMCC freshman.
Penn State Behrend head coach Greg Cooper has been named the Coach of the Year on the men's side. Cooper earns his 10th men's Coach of the Year honors after leading the Lions to their 13th conference title this season.
Click here for the complete men's cross country all-conference team and postseason awards.