Allegheny College Athletics - Allegheny defeats Oberlin in NCAC action

Tradition, Commitment, Excellence

Athletes of the Year

Men's Cross Country

Chris Marker was selected by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as the Allegheny Male Student-Athlete of the Year. An All-American performer in Cross Country, he was chosen over three other nominees for the award.

Marker, a junior, began his 2009-10 school year in fine fashion, claiming placing second at the NCAC Cross Country Championships, first at the Mideast Regional and 14th at the Division III Championships.

He was named to the All-NCAC First Team for finishing as runner-up among 109 finishers at the conference meet. At Regionals, he became Allegheny's first-ever individual region champion, placing ahead of 313 other runners, while the team won its first Mideast Region crown. At Nationals, the Gators took third place.

Marker was strong throughout the cross country season, placing first among 245 runners at Oberlin's Inter-Regional Rumble and second of 200 at Calvin's Knight Invitational. He was twice named Allegheny Athlete of the Week and once was an NCAC Runner of the Week after his performance at Calvin. The SAAC honored him twice as its Male Student-Athlete of the Month in September and October.

For the second consecutive year, Marker won the 5,000-meter run at both the NCAC Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field championship events. He set a new Gator record in the 5K when recording a time of 14:24.08 at Hillsdale's Gina Relays.

After winning the 5,000 at Washington and Lee's Carnival, he was honored as the NCAC Distance Runner of the Week. In April, the SAAC recognized him with his third Male Student-Athlete of the Month award.

Mia Symoniak

Women's Cross Country

Mia Symoniak was selected by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as the Allegheny Female Student-Athlete of the Year. An All-NCAC performer in Cross Country and both Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field, she was chosen over five other nominees for the award.

Symoniak had a decorated year as the Allegheny women's top distance runner. During the cross country season, she placed ninth among 91 runners at the NCAC Championships to earn All-NCAC Second Team status. Symoniak finished 25th of 311 finishers at the Mideast Region Regional, claiming All-Region status.

Other in-season accolades included one stint as NCAC Runner of the Week after Symoniak took fifth out of 193 participants at Calvin's Knight Invitational. She was also honored as an Allegheny Athlete of the Week once and was the SAAC Female Student-Athlete of the Month in January.

During the indoor track campaign, Symoniak won the 5,000-meter run at the NCAC Championships while setting a new Allegheny and conference record (17:19.82). She also won the 5,000 individual race at the NCAC Relays and was first in the 3,000 at Mount Union's Jim Wuske Invitational. In her trip to Nationals, Symoniak finished 12th in the 5K.

During the outdoor season, Symoniak established her dominance in the 5,000 with another NCAC title. She also garnered NCAC Distance Runner of the Week honors after placing third in the 10,000 at Bucknell's Bison Classic. Symoniak was also an Allegheny Athlete of the Week.

Allegheny defeats Oberlin in NCAC action

11/20/2009 11:25:08 PM

Complete Results

MEADVILLE, Pa. – Ariana Lyons and Rachelle Barrett were victorious in two races apiece to total four out of the seven events won by the Allegheny women’s swimming and diving team to help the Gators post a 164-130 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) win over Oberlin on Friday night.

In similar fashion to previous meets, Lyons battled it out with teammate Ashley Whitehead for the top spot in each the 50 and 100 freestyles. Lyons came in 24.81 and Whitehead touched in 25.02 in the 50. Whitehead was three tenths of a second behind Lyons in the100 free, clocking in at 55.36 and Lyons edging her with a time of 55.06.

Barrett edged Oberlin’s Krista Currier 1:14.11-1:14.97 for first place in the 100 breaststroke, while winning the 200 breaststroke in 2:40.11.

Megan Knox, Tara Stein, Alycia Conway and Barrett placed second in the 200-yard medley relay, before the Gators swept the 1000 freestyle event.

Lauren Karl tallied a season-best 11:07.22 for first place. Christine Smith came in second with a time of 11:54.70 and Gaby Zinobile was the third finisher for Allegheny in 12:02.06.

Knox not only swam the 200-yard medley relay, but she also won the 200 free. Her season-best time of 1:59.69 broke the two-minute mark and was good enough for first.

In the 100 backstroke, Lyons and Joanna Wieckowska went 2-3 with close finishes. Lyons touched the wall in 1:04.16 for her best time and Wieckowska came in 1:04.47.

The Yeowomen’s Grace Aheron won the 200 butterfly in an NCAA “B” cut time of 2:08.41. Molly Durot took second in this event, but posted her best time this season with 2:16.64.

Jaclyn Skirkanich and Shelby Penn were dominant in the diving events once again. Skirkanich won the one-meter with a score of 179.85 and Penn was second with 171.35.

Allegheny took the two, three and four spots in the 500 freestyle and 200 yard IM, before winning the final relay of the evening. Knox, Stein, Whitehead and Lyons had a four second lead on Oberlin for first with a time of 3:41.96.

The Gators returns to action tomorrow at Fredonia State. Meet begins at 1 p.m.