NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Atlantic Sun Conference Men's Cross Country Championship banner once again belongs to EKU, after the Colonels raced their way to a second-straight title after earning 23 points as a team on Saturday morning in Nashville, Tenn. Taha Er Raouy paced EKU and outlasted the field to win with a 24:05.82 to nab both Runner and Freshman of the Year for the first time since Logan Poteet of North Florida did so back in 2015.
UNF's Aidan O'Gorman joined Er Raouy on the First Team All-ASUN list after moving up from eighth last year to ASUN runner-up following his 24:17.85. The rest of the top five featured two more Colonels and another Osprey: Ahmed Kadri, EKU (3rd, 24:25.87); Nikodem Dworczak, EKU (4th, 24:29.72); Robert Pedroza, North Florida (5th, 24:34.60). Enock Kipchumba of EKU (24:40.96) and Braedon Palmer of Lipscomb (24:41.43) placed sixth and seventh, respectively.
EKU led the field in cumulative All-ASUN selections with eight total, four of which were on the first team. The Ospreys, who combined for 56 points to finish in second, notched five runners on the various All-ASUN squads and third-place finisher Lipscomb (62 points) also ended the event with five selections to All-ASUN. The Bellarmine Knights grabbed two spots on Second Team All-ASUN with DK Schnieders (24:47.82) and Chase Atkins (24:55.20).
The All-Freshman Team featured two Ospreys and one each from EKU, Lipscomb and Queens.
First Team All-ASUN
1. Taha Er Raouy, EKU (24:05.82) - Runner of the Year
2. Aidan O'Gorman, North Florida (24:17.85)
3. Ahmed Kadri, EKU (24:25.87)
4. Nikodem Dworczak, EKU (24:29.72)
5. Robert Pedroza, North Florida (24:34.60)
6. Enock Kipchumba, EKU (24:40.96)
7. Braedon Palmer, Lipscomb (24:41.43)
Second Team All-ASUN
8. Ben Butcher, Lipscomb (24:46.77)
9. Keeton Thornsberry, EKU (24:47.12)
10. Joan Tapias, EKU (24:47.80)
11. DK Schnieders, Bellarmine (24:47.82)
12. Cole Perry, North Florida (24:49.65)
13. Brady Johnson, Lipscomb (24:53.13)
14. Chase Atkins, Bellarmine (24:55.20)
Third Team All-ASUN
15. Griffin Staude, EKU (24:56.78)
16. Owen Horevay, Lipscomb (24:58.90)
17. Ilias El Khattabi, North Florida (25:01.06)
18. Bryan Hernandez, Lipscomb (25:05.22)
19. Kristian Imroth, EKU (25:10.16)
20. Bramwell Havi, FGCU (25:13.96)
21. Onix Ortiz, North Florida (25:14.29)
All-Freshman Team
Taha Er Raouy, EKU (24:05.82) - Freshman of the Year
Owen Horevay, Lipscomb (24:58.90)
Ilias El Khattabi, North Florida (25:01.06)
Paul Lespasio, North Florida (25:20.98)
Victor Tvistholm Jorgensen, Queens (25:53.17)
Coach of the Year
Cory Erdmann, EKU
Team Scores
1. EKU, 23
2. North Florida, 56
3. Lipscomb, 62
4. Bellarmine, 119
5. Queens, 176
6. Central Arkansas, 189
7. FGCU, 203
8. Stetson, 217
9. North Alabama, 227
10. Jacksonville, 269
11. Austin Peay, 362