Brendan Fennell and Steve Hallinan Qualify for NCAA Championships :: Fennell and Hallinan both had top-10 finishes at Saturday's regional meet and helped AU to a fourth-place finish

Fennell and Hallinan both had top-10 finishes at Saturday's regional meet and helped AU to a fourth-place finish

Nov. 10, 2007

WASHINGTON - Led by top-10 finishers and NCAA Qualifiers Brendan Fennell and Steve Hallinan, the American University men's cross country team placed fourth Saturday afternoon at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional held on the campus of Lehigh University.

Georgetown University won the event with 42 points followed by Villanova (70 pts.), Princeton (74 pts.) and American (176 pts.). AU finished just ahead of fellow Patriot League member Navy (184 pts.) and other PL schools Bucknell, Lafayette and Lehigh.

Fennell, the two-time reigning PL Cross Country Individual Champion, was the Eagles top finisher and placed fifth. Fennell completed the course in 30:25 and ran an average mile of 4:54. Hallinan, the 2005 PL Most Outstanding Runner of the Meet, ran a 4:55 pace and placed just behind Fennell in seventh with a time of 30:29. Carlos Jamieson placed in the top-20 at 18th and ran a 30:49. Brian McCabe (62nd place), Jason Baker (84th place), Kyle Gaffney (97th place) and Brandon Laks (145th place) rounded out the seven-member team for AU.

As two of the top four finishers not on an NCAA qualifying team, Fennell and Hallinan both earn the privilege to compete next Monday, Nov. 19, at the NCAA Championships.

Two members of the women's cross country team, Cathleen Ford and Kate Lilley, took part in the women's 6k race as unattached runners. Ford finished the course in a time of 21:43 in 43rd place and Lilley finished 92nd with a final time of 22:37.

The top two teams from each regional meet automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships. Georgetown and Villanova will represent the Mid-Atlantic Region in the championships event. Tomorrow, Nov. 11, 13 addition at-large bids will be named by the track and field subcommittee. The first four individuals who are not a member of qualifying teams are also automatically entered in the NCAA Championships being held this year at Indiana State University.

For the complete results of Saturday's races, click here.

American University athletics news is available via our weekly American Eagles E-News. Sign up for the free newsletter by clicking here.