Central Islip, N.Y. - The New York Institute of Technology men's cross country team and the C.W. Post women's cross country team have been tabbed the preseason favorites for the 2009 season as voted on by the league's head coaches. Sophomore Nicholas Koyiet (Eldoret, Kenya) from NYIT was named the men's Preseason Runner of the Year while teammate sophomore Jackline Toek (Eldama Ravine, Kenya) claimed honors on the women's side.
The Bears collected five first-place votes and a total of 56 points to secure the top slot on the men's poll. NYIT finished second in the 2008 ECC Championships with a total of 48 and had two runners finish in the top seven. Molloy College was selected to finish second with 47 total points and Dowling rounded out the top three with 46 points and a first-place vote.
The Pioneers claimed seven of the eight first-place votes and accumulated 63 total points to top the women's poll. C.W. Post claimed a second place finish in the 2008 ECC Championships with 81 points. NYIT received the final first-place vote and amassed 53 points for the No. 2 slot while Molloy was picked third, with 42 points.
Koiyet is the returning ECC Rookie of the Year. He came in second at the ECC Championship just one hundredth of a second shy of the top finisher. Koiyet went on to place third at the NCAA Northeast Regional with a time of 31:18.3 and became the second men's runner at NYIT to qualify for the NCAA Championships. He placed 68th overall at the National Championship, crossing the finish line in 32:56.
Toek returns as the Rookie of the Year on the women's side. She finished second at the ECC Championships with a time of 19:52.05. Toek finished fifth at the NCAA Northeast Regional with a time of 22:43.9 to become the first female runner to ever advance to the NCAA Championships in the history of the program. At the NCAA championships, Toek placed 101st with a time of 23:46 and was selected to the USFTCCCA Scholar Athlete Academic Team.
The East Coast Conference Championships be held on Sunday, October 25 at the LIU - C.W. Post Campus. For more information visit www.eccsports.org.
| 2009 ECC Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll | ||
| Team | Pts. | ECC Results |
| 1. NYIT (5) | 56 | 48 |
| 2. Molloy | 47 | 123 |
| 3. Dowling (1) | 46 | 86 |
| 4. STAC | 42 | 84 |
| 5. C.W. Post (2) | 37 | - |
| 6. Mercy | 24 | 149 |
| 7. Queens | 22 | 186 |
| 8. Bridgeport | 14 | 237 |
| 2009 ECC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll | ||
| Team | Pts. | ECC Results |
| 1. C.W. Post (7) | 63 | 81 |
| 2. NYIT (1) | 53 | 116 |
| 3. Molloy | 42 | 136 |
| 4. Dowling | 41 | 84 |
| 5. Queens | 27 | 166 |
| 6. STAC | 23 | - |
| 7. Bridgeport | 21 | 145 |
| 8. Mercy | 18 | - |
Men's Preseason Runner of the Year: Nicholas Koyiet, NYIT, So.
Women's Preseason of the Year: Jackline Toek, NYIT, So.
