WESTFIELD, Mass. – The New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) men's cross country championship trophy is back in Bennington for the third-straight year as the Southern Vermont College Mountaineers ran their way to the 2016 league title Saturday morning at Stanley Park.

PHOTO GALLERY

Four SVC competitors placed themselves in the top five including junior captain Marc Brandmeyer (Bennington, Vt.) who came through first once again for his third-consecutive NECC Runner of the Year laurel; no other men's cross country runner has ever won more than one NECC championship while no women's harrier has ever taken more than two titles in the league's history.

Brandmeyer was joined in taking major Conference accolades by Southern Vermont freshman Davante Smith (Ellenville, N.Y.) and fourth-year SVC head coach Kathleen Newton '04. Smith earned the 2016 NECC Rookie of the Year honor by finishing third overall and first for rookie runners, and Newton was bestowed with her third-straight NECC Coach of the Year award-- that being determined by voting from her peers around the league.

Joining Brandmeyer and Smith on the All-NECC First Team were sophomore Stephen McCall (Brockton, Mass.) and senior captain Corey Barcomb (Burlington, Vt.). Additionally, freshman Bailey Hamilton (Londonderry, N.H.) and Bennington College sophomore Alexander Ging (Simsbury, Conn.) each placed themselves on the All-NECC Second Team for Southern Vermont.

"Three times in-a-row… What more can I ask for?" Newton questioned after celebrating the team's victory and posing for photos. "I'm just really proud of them for not only the athletes they are, but the people they are."

The conference three-peat is the second in Southern Vermont history after the SVC women's volleyball team won the NECC crown in 2011, 2012, and 2013.

The Mountaineers now set their sights on the NCAA Division III New England Regional Qualifier taking place next Saturday, November 12; SVC will head back to Stanley Park for that 8k which is set to begin at 11 a.m.

Full results: http://www.coolrunning.com/results/16/ma/Nov5_NECCUp_set1.shtml

Brandmeyer led the pack once again for the third-straight year, coming in well ahead of the rest of the field. In conjunction with his Runner of the Year honor, he also earned his fifth NECC Runner of the Week laurel this season by placing first. The SVC captain crossed the line with a time of 26:56, that being the sixth-fastest ever turned in during a Conference championship.

"Marc's an amazing guy," Newton commented of her junior captain. "I've known him since high school; he's had some really big challenges in his life, and he's made some huge adjustments. He's really going to go places."

Brandmeyer was followed by McCall who finished second overall to garner his second-straight All-NECC First Team honor after collecting his first as a Regis College freshman last year; he came through with a time of 27:34 which was 40 seconds ahead of his mark from last season's title race.

Smith was the first rookie to cross the line, placing third overall as SVC took the Rookie of the Year honor for the second time in the last three years (Brandmeyer- 2014). That also made way for him to reel in the NECC Rookie of the Week award, marking the fifth time this season that he has earned the decoration. Smith chalked up a time of 27:59 for a new personal record that was 15 seconds better than his previous best.

Barcomb's fifth-place finish was the best at an NECC race in his four-year career at Southern Vermont, picking up a First Team accolade after collecting Second Team laurels in each of the last two years. Newton also selected him to represent SVC on the NECC All-Sportsmanship Team. He tied his personal record, finishing with a time of 28:14 that was 31 seconds faster than he had at the 2015 NECC meet.

"When Corey was first on the team, he wasn't really a strong runner and wasn't really confident," Newton noted of her soon-to-be graduate. "It's just great to see his confidence grow, as well as his athleticism. What he's done for this team-- being a captain and deserving to be on the All-Sportsmanship Team-- he's got a lot to be proud of. He's really done a great service to our team in the four years that he's been here."

Hamilton rounded out the Mountaineers' five scoring placements, landing in the top 10 in his first collegiate championship with a 30:18 showing; that was a new personal best for him by four seconds. Ging shaved 21 seconds off of his old PR with a 30:18 as the Bennington sophomore also took home Second Team honors in his first conference title race. SVC senior Aden Fischer (Arlington, Vt.) ran hard to cap the team's showing in his final NECC competition, breaking his pervious PR by 29 seconds as he chalked up a 32:28.

Southern Vermont
1st - Marc Brandmeyer: 26:56
2nd - Stephen McCall: 27:34
3rd - Davante Smith: 27:59 (PR)
5th - Corey Barcomb: 28:14
10th - Bailey Hamilton: 29:01 (PR)
14th - Alexander Ging: 30:18 (PR)
23rd - Aden Fischer: 32:28 (PR)

– #LetsGoSVC –