http://www.theacc.com/#!/news-detail/acc-cross-country-performers-of-the-year-announced-12-10-2014
ACC Cross Country: Performers Of The Year Announced
Wednesday December 10, 2014
Syracuse’s Hehir and Fox, BC’s Westphal, UNC’s VanAlstyne earn 2014 honors
GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Syracuse’s Martin Hehir has been selected the 2014 Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Cross Country Performer of the Year, while Boston College’s Liv Westphal earned Women’s Performer of the Year honors in a vote of the league’s head coaches.
In addition, Syracuse’s Chris Fox was voted the ACC Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year for a second straight season, while North Carolina’s Mark VanAlstyne was tabbed as the Women’s Coach of the Year.
Hehir, a junior from Washingtonville, New York, led the Orange to its second straight team title with a first-place time of 23:15 in the ACC Championships on Oct. 31 at Charlottesville, Virginia. Hehir’s time set a new 8K record for the Panorama Farms course.
Hehir went on to place sixth in the NCAA Northeast Regional with a 10K time of 30:36, keying the Orange to a first-place team finish. He placed 38th in the NCAA Championship at Terre Haute, Indiana, with a 10K time of 30:54.
Westphal, a senior from Limoges, France, also set a Panorama Farms course record in the ACC Championships, placing first among women runners with a 6K time of 19:43. She went on lead the Eagles to fifth-place team finish in the NCAA Northeast Regional with a fourth-place individual time of 20:16.
Westphal wrapped up the season by finishing 30th among a field of 255 runners in the NCAA Championships with a time of 20:37.
Both Hehir and Westphal earned All-America honors in addition to their ACC accolades
Fox, who has been at helm of the Syracuse program since 2005, led the Orange to a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Championships, its first top-five finish since placing fourth in 1957. For the second year in a row and fifth time in six seasons, Fox was named USTFCCCA Northeast Region Men's Coach of the Year.
Fox led the Syracuse men to their highest national ranking in program history (No. 2) during the regular season. The ACC title was the third straight conference champion for the Orange and its fifth in six seasons. Syracuse also claimed the Northeast Regional title, also its fifth in six years.
VanAlystyne, in his third year at UNC, led North Carolina’s women to their first ACC Championship since 2003. The Tar Heels used that as a springboard to a third-place finish in the NCAA Southeast Regional, and closed out the year by finishing 22nd at the NCAA Championships while racing three true freshmen.
UNC was ranked among the Top 25 nationally among women’s teams throughout the season.
