Colorado's Castaneda; DePauw’s Stoffregen honored as 2009 SCAC Cross Country Coaches-of-the-Year

SUWANEE, Ga. - In exclusive voting by the head coaches of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, Colorado College's Ted Castaneda was named SCAC Men's Cross Country Coach-of-the-Year and DePauw University's Kori Stoffregen was selected SCAC Women's Cross Country Coach-of-the-Year.

Colorado College won its second SCAC men's cross country title in three years - led by 2009 Men's Runner-of-the-Year Jackson Brainerd, who won the individual title with a 24:29.60 finish. Brainerd's teammates Daniel Kraft (24:58.10), Andrew Wagner (25:10.80) and Dave Wilder (25:15.60) also posted top-10 times by finishing fourth, ninth and 10th respectively. The CC Tigers finished with 45 points - 13 points ahead of DePauw University. Complete Results

Two weeks later, Colorado College posted a third-place team finish at the NCAA West Regional and earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships. At the national meet, the CC Tigers took 25th place out of 32 teams with 557 points, 13 fewer than Manchester College.

This marks the second time Castaneda has been selected as SCAC Men's Cross Country Coach-of-the-Year.

DePauw's Noah Droddy earned Newcomer-of-the-Year honors by virtue of being the top finisher among first-year runners at the conference championship meet. His time of 25:33.90 was good for 14th-place and earned the freshman all-SCAC honors.

On the women's side, 21st-ranked DePauw University won its seventh straight SCAC cross country championship. The DU women totaled 33 points to defeat second-place Rhodes College by two points - the closest margin of victory ever at the conference championship meet. Complete Results

For Stoffregen, this is the seventh straight year he has been named SCAC Women's Cross Country Coach-of-the-Year and the eighth time overall. He has also earned the Men's COTY award seven times. Only Rhodes College's Robert Shankman, also with a combined 15 Cross Country COTY awards, has earned as many as Stoffregen.

Pacing the DePauw women at the conference championship meet was Lauren Reich, who covered the 6-kilometer course in 22:12.46 to win the individual race and earn 2009 SCAC Cross Country Runner-of-the-Year honors. DePauw also received all-SCAC performances from Ellen Mail (23:26.86 - third place) and Claire Hollis (23:39.67 - fifth place) and Jess Macy (24:17.59 -  ninth place).

Macy earned SCAC Newcomer-of-the-Year honors as the top first-year finisher.

Two weeks later, the DePauw women finished in fourth-place at the Great Lakes Region meet and earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships. Led by Reich's fourth-place individual finish, DePauw placed 20th in the team competition.