Runners of the Week
Men’s Runner of the Week
CJ Johnson (Daemen)
Sr., Baltimore, MD, Mount Saint Joseph High School
Johnson, the 2026 East Coast Conference Preseason Runner of the Year, picked up right where he left off from his incredible junior season, leading the Wildcats and finishing second overall at the Doug Watts Open on Saturday, just four seconds behind the top finisher with a time of 19:54.6 over the 6K race. It marked Johnson's second-fastest career 6K time.
Men’s Rookie of the Week
Jack Bowman (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Fr., Saskatchewan, Canada, Suffern High School
Bowman was the Spartans’ top men's finisher at the Bard College Fred Pavlich Invitational, placing 22nd overall with a time of 17:15.5.
Women’s Runner of the Week
Barbara Kunz (D’Youville)
Sr., Buffalo, NY, Sacred Heart High School
Kunz finished in third place at the Tom Balon Alumni Classic this weekend with a time of 20:05.8. The Senior was the top finisher for the Saints.
Women’s Rookie of the Week
Jordyn Cruz (Queens)
So., Holbrook, NY, Sachem North High School
Sophomore Jordyn Cruz led the women's team in her Cross Country collegiate debut, placing 38th in the 5K with a time of 24:39.1. Cruz was one of three Division II runners to record a top-40 finish at the Adelphi Panthers XC Invite Friday afternoon.
Weekly Honor Roll
Peter Bagattine (Molloy)
Sr., Bay Shore, NY
Senior Peter Bagattine of Bay Shore, New York, was Molloy University’s top finisher at the Adelphi Panthers XC Invite, placing 57th among 100 competitors in the men’s 8K with a time of 28:28.5. Bagattine was the first Molloy runner to finish and led the Lions to a ninth-place team finish.
Kevin Fernandez (Molloy)
Fr., Oceanside, NY, Oceanside High School
Freshman Kevin Fernandez of Oceanside, New York, finished 69th among 100 competitors in the men’s 8K at the Adelphi Panthers XC Invite with a time of 29:25.0. Fernandez was Molloy’s second finisher and recorded the fastest time among the Lions’ freshmen.
Madison Chalfin (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Gr., West Nyack, NY, University of Connecticut
Chalfin was STAC's top women's finisher at the Bard College Fred Pavlich Invitational, placing 8th overall with a time of 20:41.1.
Lilianna Peters (D’Youville)
Sr., Olean, NY, Allegany-Limestone
Peters finished sixth at the Tom Balon Alumni Classic this past weekend with a time of 20:29.8.
Carli Sheiffele (Molloy)
Jr., Mount Sinai, NY, Mount Sinai High School
Junior Carli Sheiffele of Mount Sinai, New York, was Molloy University’s top finisher at the Adelphi Panthers XC Invite, placing 51st among 100 competitors in the women’s 6K with a time of 25:51.5. Sheiffele was the first Molloy runner to finish and led the Lions to a ninth-place team finish.
Elaina Williams (D’Youville)
So., Cato, NY, Cato-Meridian
Williams finished seventh at the Tom Balon Alumni Classic with a time of 20:40.1.
2026 ECC Cross Country Weekly Award Winners
Men’s Runner of the Week
Sep. 8 – CJ Johnson (Daemen)
Men’s Rookie of the Week
Sep. 8 – Jack Bowman (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Women’s Runner of the Week
Sep. 8 – Barbara Kunz (D’Youville)
Women’s Rookie of the Week
Sep. 8 – Jordyn Cruz (Queens)
2026 ECC Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll
1. Roberts Wesleyan - 48 points (6 first-place votes)
2. Daemen - 40 points (1 first-place vote)
3. Molloy - 33 points
4. St. Thomas Aquinas - 30 points
5. D'Youville - 18 points
6. Queens - 13 points
7. Staten Island - 12 points
2026 ECC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
1. Roberts Wesleyan - 64 points (8 first-place votes)
2. Molloy - 54 points
3. D'Youville - 47 points
4. Daemen - 42 points
5. St. Thomas Aquinas - 26 points
6. Queens - 25 points
7. Staten Island - 21 points
8. District of Columbia - 9 points
***
Founded as the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference in 1989 and rechristened the East Coast Conference in July 2006, the ECC was formed to enhance intercollegiate athletic competition among member institutions and to assist them in integrating athletics into their academic program in a fiscally sound way. The ECC is committed to the highest standards of scholarship, sportsmanship, teamwork, and citizenship. Its mission is to promote the total person concept in its student-athletes, which stresses the abilities to excel in academic achievement, athletic competition, and positive character traits. East Coast Conference members include: Daemen University (Amherst, N.Y.); University of the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.); D'Youville University (Buffalo, N.Y.); Mercy University (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.); Molloy University (Rockville Centre, N.Y.); Queens College (Flushing, N.Y.); Roberts Wesleyan University (Rochester, N.Y.); College of Staten Island (Staten Island, N.Y.); and St. Thomas Aquinas College (Sparkill, N.Y.). The ECC also is home to 13 associate members in the sports of women’s bowling (3), men’s and women’s indoor track & field (3), men's volleyball (2), field hockey (1), and men’s lacrosse (1).
The ECC sponsors the following championship sports: baseball; men’s and women’s basketball; women's bowling; men’s and women’s cross country; field hockey; men’s and women’s lacrosse; men’s and women’s indoor track and field; men’s and women’s outdoor track and field; men’s and women’s soccer; softball; and men's and women’s volleyball.
The East Coast Conference is a proud member of the NCAA and Division II. Division II is a dynamic and engaging group of colleges, institutions and conferences of varying sizes and educational missions. Division II members encourage and support diversity; value sportsmanship, fairness and equity; and place the highest priority on the overall educational excellence of the student-athlete.