BRONX, N.Y.-University of North Dakota junior Josh LaBlanc placed seventh today at the 2009 Great West Conference Men's Cross Country Championship at Van Cortland Park, earning all-conference first-team honors.
LaBlanc's Sioux team finished seventh in the team standings with 152 points.
Utah Valley took top spot with 25 points, behind individual runner-up Jacob Buhler.
Christian Baumbach of host New Jersey Institute of Technology took medalist honors with a time of 25:57.95.
LaBlanc, who did not compete in 2008 due to internship obligations, completed his return to competition in fine fashion, cracking the top 10 with a time of 26:39.33.
The International Falls, Minn., native becomes the first-even UND men's cross country runner to earn All-Great West Conference honors.
"Josh ran a great race," said UND head coach Mike Grandall. "It was a good course, a little different, but a very good cross country course."
Senior Kyle Rosseau (Eagan, Minn.), UND's top finisher a year ago, finished 20th with a time of 27:19.38.
UVU head coach Scott Houle was named Great West Conference Coach of the Year and Baumbach took male athlete of the year honors. Jason Lynch of UVU was named male newcomer of the year.
All-conference first team honorees on the men's side were Baumbach, Buhler, Saeed, McCabe, Englestead, Lynch and North Dakota's Josh Lablanc (26:39.33). Second team honors went to Norris, UTPA's Angel Ramirez (26:49.50), 2008 champion Daniel Martinez from HBU (26:52.90), Seattle's Matthew McClement (26:53.49), HBU's Johnathan LeJeune (26:55.61), USD's Ethan Marquardt (26:55.62) and UVU's Seth Gutzwiller (27:04.08).
UND Participants
7. Josh LaBlanc, 26:39.33
20. Kyle Rosseau, 27:19.38
35. Tyler Rose, 28:07.22
52. Jeremy Jones, 29:34.75
53. David Niday, 29:44.65
57. Cory Absey, 30:05.59
58. Carl Sedgeman, 30:41.13
60. Joss Blatherwick, 31:31.09
Click on the links provided at the top of the page to view complete team and individual standings.
~Go Sioux~
Courtesy: Kory Wallen, FightingSioux.com
