The 2009 Moravian College men’s cross country team, under the direction of fourth-year coach Welles Lobb, placed second in the Landmark Conference championships and 26th at the NCAA Division III Mideast Regional.

Leading the Greyhounds this season was sophomore Matt Lutcza (Dingmans Ferry, PA/Delaware Valley HS), who recorded his personal best of 26:42 and placed 22nd at the 36th Brook Paul Short Run. Lutcza also earned a spot on the Landmark All-Conference Second Team for a top 14 finish at the conference championships, and he was 152nd at the 2009 NCAA Mid-East Regional with a time of 28:06.

Freshman Donnie Noble (Souderton, PA/Souderton HS) placed 77th out of 314 runners when he recorded his best time of 26:56.8 at the NCAA Mid-East Regional Championships. Noble also earned a spot on the Landmark All-Conference Second Team with a top 14th finish at the conference championships.

Sophomore Zach Rivenbark (Center Valley, PA/Southern Lehigh HS) placed 17th at the conference championships with a time of 28:38.00 and recorded his season best time of 26:50 at the 36th Brook Paul Short Run where he placed 28th while junior Connor Skutches (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty HS), pictured right, placed 16th at the Landmark Conference Championships with a time of 28:32 and recorded his best time of the year, 26:24, at the 36th Brook Paul Short Run where he placed 11th out of 245 runners.

Senior Steve DeFazio (Branchburg, NJ/Somerville HS) had his best time of 27:59 at the 36th Brook Paul Short Run placing 81st while fellow senior Tim Betz (Havertown, PA/Haverford HS) placed 94th in the same race with his best time of 28:14. At the Landmark Conference Championships, DeFazio ran a 31:40, which was good enough for 65th, while Betz ran a 28:14.9 at the NCAA Mid-East Regionals.

Freshman Dylan Marton (Somerville, NJ/Somerville HS) ran his best time of 28:48 at the 36th Brook Paul Short Run, placing 129th to go along with a 29:22.8 time at the NCAA Regionals while senior Steve Parisi (Kunkletown, PA/Pleasant Valley HS) placed 131st at the Paul Short Run with his season best time of 28:49. Parisi also ran a 29:10 at the NCAA Mid-East Regional Championships.

Freshman Pat Steinmann (Mendham, NJ/Delbarton HS) ran his personal best time of 28:52.3 at the Mid-East Regional Championships where he placed 191st while fellow freshman Jake Donchez (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS) placed 146th at the Brook Paul Short Run with his best time of 29:07 to go along with a 29:52 at the NCAA Regionals.

Junior Jacob Tazik (Wyomissing, PA/Wyomissing HS) recorded his best time of 29:29 at the 36th Brook Paul Short Run, as well, while freshman Jon Bellizio (Monmouth Junction, NJ/South Brunswick HS) ran his personal best of 31:11 at the Landmark Conference Championships. Junior Jesse Miller (Lewisburg, PA/Lewisburg HS) placed 175th out of 282 runners at the DeSales University Invitational with his best time of 31:34 while sophomore Jonathan Gutierrez (Allentown, PA/Dieruf HS) ran his best time of 37:06 at the Misericordia University Cougar Classic where he placed 113th out of 123 runners.

Betz, Defazio, Miller, Skutches, Tazik, Lutcza and Rivenbark all were named to the 2009 Landmark Conference Fall Academic Honor Roll while Lutcza also earned a spot on the 2009 Landmark Conference Fall All-Academic Team.

Story written by Caitlin Dean '12.