Thursday,
November 14, 2002
Written by Ayako Sawanobori
SOPHOMORE NATE BRIGHAM EARNS ALL-NESCAC RECOGNITION
MEDFORD
– Sophomore Nate Brigham (Penacook,
NH/Merrimack Valley) set the pace for the Tufts University Men's Cross
Country team at the 2002 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC)
championship race, hosted by Tufts at the Farm Course in Grafton, Mass., on
November 2. His 12th place overall finish out of 115 runners earned Brigham All-NESCAC
honors as one of the top 14 runners in the conference. Named to the Second Team,
he completed the 8K course in 26:14.81, which was his fastest time on the course
this year.
That
led Tufts to a fifth-place finish, one point out of fourth and seven points out
of third. This is the second All-NESCAC honor in as many seasons for Brigham. He
earned Second Team honors last fall after finishing 11th in the NESCAC race last
season. This year, the Bowdoin men, directed by NESCAC Coach of the Year Peter Slovenski,
took the meet championship. Most Outstanding Performer Ryan Bak of Trinity won
the race and the honor for the second straight year. Williams College's Neal
Holtshulte was the top freshman finisher.
Brigham has led the Tufts men this season in hopes of the Jumbos qualifying for their fifth straight NCAA National Championship Race berth. Leading a team with a senior-less top seven, he has stepped up to finish as the top scorer for Tufts in five out of his six races. His best time this year of 25:01 was run at the All-New England Championship at Franklin Park, Boston for 32nd among all of the region's best. He was sixth at the 27-team James Early Invite hosted by Westfield State College on October 19 with a 25:29.9 time.
Westfield's
course will be the site of the NCAA New England Championship Race this Saturday
(Nov. 16) at 11 am. Head Coach Connie Putnam's Jumbos must finish in the top
five to keep their streak of consecutive national race berths going. Brigham was
one of seven Jumbos to compete in the NCAA final last season.
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