NATCHITOCHES, La. – Three Tulane cross country runners received First Team All-Louisiana honors with four more receiving Honorable Mention for their efforts in the 2016 season, the Louisiana Sports Writer's Association announced this week. Additionally, sophomore Emmanuel Rotich was named Runner of the Year and director of track and field and cross country Eric Peterson tied for Coach of the Year.
"I'm extremely proud of the individual accomplishments of all the Tulane student-athletes recognized on this list," Peterson said. "They all work very hard to achieve at a high level and it makes me very happy to see them recognized in this way for their efforts."
Rotich was tabbed the Male Runner of the Year following his fall campaign that saw seven consecutive top-three finishes, school records in the 8K and 10K, a gold-medal effort at the South Central Regional and a trip to the NCAA Cross Country National Championships. He was also recognized in-conference for his efforts, being named the Male Runner of the Week on four of five possible occasions.
For his coaching efforts, Peterson was named Coach of the Year alongside UL-Lafayette skipper Lon Badeaux. Peterson led his squad to a second-place finish in the American Athletic Conference, the program's highest conference ranking since the 1990s and best since joining the American in 2014. In addition, he also coached Rotich to a National Championship bid and had all six of his men compete at the South Central Regional.
"Personally, I'm honored to share this coach of the year award with Lon Badeaux at ULL," Peterson said. "I am proud of the accomplishments of our team and appreciate the support of the other coaches in Louisiana."
Freshman Devyn Keith, sophomore Joshua Cheruyot and junior Moses Aloiloi received Honorable Mention to round out the men's LSWA honorees.
On the women's side, Tulane led the way naming two student-athletes to the All-Louisiana team. Junior Emma Newton and redshirt freshman Mckenzie Melius received First Team honors, while junior Lauren Bartels was given Honorable Mention.
Newton finished 18th at the American Athletic Conference Championships and 28th at the NCAA South-Central Regional, also landing the eighth-highest 6K time in school history at the Stanford Cross Country Invitational. Melius won the Allstate Sugar Bowl Cross Country Festival in her first ever collegiate meet and qualified to both the conference and regional meets in her first season with the Green Wave.
Fans can follow the Tulane cross country program on Twitter (@GreenWaveXCTF) or find the team on Facebook.
2016 LSWA All-Louisiana Men's Cross Country Collegiate Team
First Team
Name – School – Pos. – Cl. – Hometown
Emmanuel Rotich – Tulane – So. – Sotik, Kenya
Stanley Limoh – Louisiana – Fr. – Kapsabet, Kenya
Dajour Braxton – LSU – So. – Las Vegas, Nev.
Enrique Soto – McNeese – Sr. – Dubberly, La.
Beau Robinson – Louisiana – Jr. – Luling, La.
Nathan Jones – McNeese – Jr. – Rhyl, Wales
Jacob Daigle – McNeese – Fr. – Napoleonville, La.
Honorable Mention: Matt Rice, Louisiana; Josh Wilkins, Northwestern State; Clayton O'Callaghan, Southeastern; Devyn Keith, Tulane; Anthony Rizzi, Loyola; Christopher August, Xavier; Moses Aloiloi, Tulane; Joshua Cheruyot, Tulane; Luke Betts, McNeese.
Runner of the Year: Emmanuel Rotich, Tulane
Freshman of the Year: Stanley Limoh, Louisiana
Coach of the Year (tie): Eric Peterson, Tulane; Lon Badeaux, Louisiana
2016 LSWA All-Louisiana Women's Cross Country Collegiate Team
First Team
Name – School – Pos. – Cl. – Hometown
Katja Woelfl – McNeese – Jr. – Ellhofen, Germany
Emma Newton – Tulane – Jr. – Hollis, N.H.
Ruby Stauber – LSU – Fr. – Plymouth, Minn.
Clarissa Smith – Southeastern – Jr. – Holden, La.
Courtney Musgrove – Louisiana – Sr. – Mandeville, La.
Allison Smegal – McNeese – Jr. – Oshawa, Canada
Mckenzie Melius – Tulane – R-Fr. – Mountain Lakes, N.J.
Honorable Mention: Taylor Price, Xavier; Erin Wrozek, Northwestern State; Lauren Bartles, Tulane; Kaitlin Fleming, ULM; Maliya Vaughn, Xavier; Inogen Hull, McNeese; Kacie Kaufman, Louisiana Tech.
Runner of the Year: Katja Woelfl, McNeese
Freshman of the Year: Ruby Stauber, LSU
Coach of the Year: Joseph Moses, Xavier
