On Tuesday afternoon, the National Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2022 NCAA Division III Cross Country season were announced on Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) following the conclusion of the national championship meet.
To no one's surprise, the 2022 NCAA Division III Men's Cross Country National Athlete of the Year is none other than Alex Phillip.
Alex Phillip retained his crown on Saturday, capturing his second straight NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship.
This year's race was much chillier than last year's. A snow-covered Forest East Akers Golf Course in chilly East Lansing, Michigan offered a different challenge for Phillip and the field. Despite the cold and snow, Phillip did the trick again.
The Akron native compiled a time of 24:37.6 in the 8k race. By securing the crown, Phillip became just the third man in the past 22 years to go back-to-back at the NCAA Championships, joining Josh Moen of Wartburg in 2003-2004 and Ian LaMere of UW-Platteville in 2015-2016.
Leading up to the big dance, Phillip secured the individual title at the Great Lakes Region Championships in 23:56.7, and won his second consecutive Ohio Athletic Conference Championship.
During the regular season, the St. Vincent-St. Mary grad finished second at the Spartan Invitational and clocked one of the fastest times by an NCAA D-III runner ever at the Paul Short Run at 23:14.7.
Without a doubt, Phillip, the 2022 Greater Cleveland Male College Athlete of the Year, is one of the best runners to ever compete at the NCAA Division III level. Especially when you take into account his track & field accolades.
And speaking of, indoor track & field season is just around the corner, beginning in a few short weeks. Phillip, of course, is not finished with his attack on the record books.
Original source can be found here.
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