YSU's McLean and UWM's Holmes Earn #HLXC Athlete of the Year Honors

INDIANAPOLIS – Youngstown State senior Austin McLean and Milwaukee junior Leah Holmes garnered Horizon League Cross Country Athlete of the Year honors after capturing the 2015 individual titles on Saturday at the Elvin R. King Cross Country Course, respectively.

McLean crossed the 8K finish line with an impressive time of 24:37.43 to capture First Team All-League honors in addition to his first place crown. The senior was the second Penguin in school history to win a Horizon League title.

Holmes brought home Milwaukee’s first-ever individual champion title since moving to Division I in 1990 as the junior hit the finishing tape with a winning time of 21:42.78.

Northern Kentucky’s Andrew Schille took home Freshman of the Year accolades with a fourth place finish and time of 24:57.54 to make the men’s First Team All-League. Rachel Levy of Oakland took home the women’s Freshman of the Year award as she crossed the finish line with a time on 21:50.32 to take fourth place and also notch First Team honors.

Detroit’s Ben Kendell set a personal best time in his runner-up performance at the Championship with a time of 24:41.36. Rounding out the First Team were third place finisher Ryan Sullivan (24:48.48) of Youngstown State, UIC’s Kyle Hauser (24:59.18) who took fifth and the Oakland duo of Jacob Bowman (24:59.98) and Andrew Bowman (25:04.52) slotting in at sixth and seventh place, respectively.

Oakland’s Ashley Burr hit the finish line in a time of 21:44.85 taking home women’s runner-up and First Team honors at the Championship. Stephanie Sanders (21:48.90) of UIC was behind in third place to also tab All-League accolades. Oakland took the fifth and sixth places with Miranda Haas (22:17.25) and Karli Keur (22:28.43) while Detroit’s Samantha Zakalowski (22:32.87) closed out the First Team with her seventh place finish.

The men’s Second Team All-League consisted of Youngstown State’s Alan Burns (25:08.58) who took eighth place and Oakland’s George O’Connor (25:10.50) and Bryce Stroede (25:12.91) in ninth place and tenth places. The final four spots of the team went to the Penguins’ Ethan Wilson (25:17.82) in eleventh, UIC’s Nathan Mroz (25:20.25) in twelfth, Oakland’s Michael Cox (25:24.52) in thirteenth and Milwaukee’s Caleb Abfall (25:26.03) in fourteenth.

Milwaukee’s Brenda Hernandez (22:36.57) kicked off the women's Second Team All-League with her eighth place finish followed by Wright State’s Hailey Brumfield (22:39.18) in ninth. Youngstown State’s McKinsie Klim (22:41.27) took tenth while UIC’s Lauren Lindholm (22:43.18) came in eleventh and the Raider’s Jessica Doepker (22:43.20) placed twelfth. Closing out the Second Team were Detroit’s Zeinab Baydoun (22:43.92) in thirteenth and Valparaiso’s Elizabeth Bloy (22:44.25) in fourteenth.

Men’s Awards
Freshman of the Year: Andrew Schille, Northern Kentucky
Athlete of the Year: Austin McLean, Youngstown State
Coach of the Year: Paul Rice, Oakland

First Team All-League
1. Austin McLean, Youngstown State
2. Ben Kendell, Detroit
3. Ryan Sullivan, Youngstown State
4. Andrew Schille, Northern Kentucky
5. Kyle Hauser, UIC
6. Jacob Bowman, Oakland
7. Andrew Bowman, Oakland

Second Team All-League
8. Andrew Bowman, Oakland
9. George O’Connor, Oakland
10. Bryce Stroede, Oakland
11. Ethan Wilson, Youngstown State
12. Nathan Mroz, UIC
13. Michael Cox, Oakland
14. Caleb Abfall, Milwaukee

Women’s Awards
Freshman of the Year: Rachael Levy, Oakland
Athlete of the Year: Leah Holmes, Milwaukee
Coach of the Year: Paul Rice, Oakland

First Team All-League
1. Leah Holmes, Milwaukee
2. Ashley Burr, Oakland
3. Stephanie Sanders, UIC
4. Rachel Levy, Oakland
5. Miranda Haas, Oakland
6. Karli Keur, Oakland
7. Samantha Zakalowski, Detroit

Second Team All-League
8. Brenda Hernandez, Milwaukee
9. Hailey Brumfield, Wright State
10. McKinsie Klim, Youngstown State
11. Lauren Lindholm, UIC
12. Jessica Doepker, Wright State
13. Zeinab Baydoun, Detroit
14. Elizabeth Bloy, Valparaiso