Swiniarski Named ECC Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week

By: By Tom McDermott, Sports Information Consultant

Men's Cross Country | 9/4/2018 5:08:00 PM

AMHERST, N.Y. - Sophomore Mike Swiniarski (Akron, N.Y.) of the Daemen College men's cross country team has been honored by the East Coast Conference for his efforts at the season-opening Daniel Walker Invitational this past weekend.

Swiniarski was named the ECC Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week. The official announcement was made via the league's weekly sport report which was released this afternoon from conference headquarters in West Babylon, N.Y.

Daemen placed four runners among the top seven finishers en route to a first place showing at the Daniel Walker Invitational. The 5K race took place at Beaver Island State Park and was hosted by Buffalo State College.

Daemen posted 30 points and finished first ahead of host Buffalo State (43). It marks the first time since the Wildcats ascended to the NCAA Division II level in 2013 that they have placed first at an event.

The individual champion hailed from Daemen for the second-straight year, as Swiniarski outlasted teammate Lucas Canales (Ithaca, N.Y.) to finish first among the 42 runners. Swiniarski posted a time of 17:01—58 seconds better than his time of 17:59 last year—and edged Canales (17:07) by just six seconds. It marked the first career win for Swiniarski.

Junior Josh Bodnar (Fillmore, N.Y.), who claimed ECC Runner of the Week after placing first at this event last year, came in fourth place this year with a time of 17:42.

Swiniarski becomes the third Daemen runner to post a race victory since the Wildcats ascended to the NCAA Division II level, joining Bodnar and fellow teammate Kevin Roginson (Amherst, N.Y.)—who paced the field at the Harry F. Anderson Invitational in 2016.

Daemen is idle until Sept. 15 when it takes part in the Yellow Jacket Invitational hosted by the University of Rochester.

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Players Mentioned

Josh Bodnar: 5' 8"; Sophomore

Lucas Canales: 5' 7"; Junior

Kevin Roginson: 5' 10"; Senior

Mike Swiniarski: 5' 9"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Josh Bodnar
: 5' 8"; Sophomore

Lucas Canales
: 5' 7"; Junior

Kevin Roginson
: 5' 10"; Senior

Mike Swiniarski
: 5' 9"; Freshman