Stephen Wahome Advances to NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships

BRUNSWICK, Maine -- Bridgewater State University junior Stephen Wahome earned an automatic qualification to the NCAA Division III Men's Cross Country Championships as he placed fourth out of a field of 322 runners at the New England Regionals held on the campus of Bowdoin College on Saturday.

Wahome, who hails from Lowell, Massachusetts, covered the eight-kilometer course in a time of 25:00.89 as he became the first BSU harrier to advance to the national championship meet since Avery Bouchard accomplished the feat in 2008.

For his outstanding performance, Wahome garnered All-New England honors.  The top 35 runners in the race earn All-New England status.

No. 7 nationally-ranked Williams College edged No. 16 Middlebury by one point to capture the men's team title.

The top two men's teams both receive automatic team bids to next Saturday's NCAA Division III Championships held at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.  The top seven remaining individuals, discounting members of Williams and Middlebury, also win automatic invitations to NCAAs.

Senior Michael Schmidt of Middlebury won his second men's individual New England crown in a row, posting a time of 24:39.95. Schmidt won last year's New England championship, held in Williamstown, Mass., in 25:40.

Along with Wahome, Coby Horowitz of Bowdoin College, Matt Rand of Tufts University; New England College's Antoine Gisore, Andrew Erskine of Amherst College, Springfield College's Ryan O'Connell, and Kevin Hoyt of Keene State College also earned automatic qualification to the NCAAs.

Junior David Phipps (Attleboro, Mass.) was the next runner across the finish line for the Bears as he placed 56th with a time of 25:55.89.  Senior Jeff Sousa (North Dighton, Mass.) followed in 116th place (27:04.23).