Army West Point Athletics
Men's Cross Country Announces Class of 2020
September 01, 2016 | Men's Cross Country, Cross Country
WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Army West Point men's cross country team welcomes newcomers on Wednesday which will make up the class of 2020.
Head coach Mike Smith is set to begin his third year at the helm of the men's program during the 2016 campaign.
"We brought in freshmen from all over the country, some of them are the best kids in the country" said Smith. "The freshmen outnumber the upperclassmen. We felt like we needed to do that and we came up with a good group of kids that will not only impact this year but certainly impact the future of the program."
Meet the Black Knights
Roman Ollar | West Linn, Ore.
Hails from the same high school as Army West Point Track and Field/Cross Country legend Dan Browne. Two-time runner-up at the Oregon 6A State Cross Country Championship (2014, 2015). Personal best of 15:01.00- 5,000 meter cross country. During the outdoor track and field 6A State Championship held at the University of Oregon, Roman won the 1,500-meter run with a performance of 3:51.30 and also finished runner-up in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 8:22.24. His 3:51.30 ranks no. 10 All-Time in the state of Ore. and was the ninth fastest time by a U.S. high schooler during the 2016 outdoor season.
Personal Bests- 800 meters - 1:53.94; 1500-meter run - 3:51.30; Mile - 4:11.00; 3,000 meters - 8:22.24; 5,000 meter cross country - 15:01.00
Ben Petrella | Liverpool, N.Y.
Petrella helped his cross country team qualify for three consecutive appearances at the Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) Championship during his career at Liverpool High School. He finished with a sixth place performance in Portland, Ore. at Nike Cross Nationals to cap off a senior cross country season that included winning an individual NYSPHSAA Class A Championship title, a NYSPHSAA Class A team title, a NXN New York Region individual title, and a Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year award. In the indoor season, Ben placed sixth at the New Balance Indoor Nationals at the full 2-mile distance running a time of 9:00.10. During the outdoor season Petrella won the 3,200 meter N.Y. State Championship with a time of 8:52.42, setting a new state meet record.
Personal Bests- 1-mile - 4:15.27; 3,200m - 8:52.42; 5,000 meter cross country - 15:15.10.
Christopher Landin | Clute, Texas
USMAPS via Brazoswood High School, Texas
Personal Bests- 800 meters - 1:58.32; 1,600-meter run - 4:17.13; 3,200 meters - 9:26.82
Matt Cohane | Franklin Lakes, N.J.
Third place finish in the 1,600-meter run at the 2016 NJSIAA Outdoor Track and Field Group Championship.
Personal Bests- 1,600 meters - 4:17.86; 5,000m cross country - 15:39.00.
Keegan Fitzpatrick | Maple Valley, Wash.
Ninth place finish at the WA 4A Cross Country State Championship.
Personal Bests- 1,600 meters - 4:28.70; 3,200-meter run - 9:31.86; 5000 meter cross country - 15:40.50.
Randy Hahn | Richmond, Va.
Three-time top-10 finisher at the Va. 4A Cross Country State Championship. Third place finish at the 2016 Va. 4A Indoor State Championship in the 1,000-meter run.
Personal Bests- 800 meters - 1:57.58; 1,000m(i) - 2:34.30; mile- 4:19.73
Connor McDonald | Chapel Hill, N.C.
13th place finish at the 2015 class 4A State Cross Country Championship.
Personal Bests- 800 meters - 1:57.80; 1,600-meter run - 4:26.23; 3,200 meters - 9:31.54; 5,000 meter cross country - 15:33.90.
Robbie Santoyo | La Puente, Calif.
Robbie was the fourth place finisher at the 2015 CIF Division IV Cross Country Finals.
Personal Bests- 800 meters - 1:56.79; 1,600-meter run - 4:18.26; 3,200 meters - 9:18.53; 5000-meter cross country - 15:19.70.
Keegan Smith | Huntley, Ill.
Three time top-20 finisher at the IHSA State Cross Country Championships (2013, 2014, and 2015). Finished eighth at the 2015 IHSA 3A Outdoor State Track and Field Championships in the 1,600 meter run.
Personal Bests- 800 meters - 1:55.06; 1,600-meter run - 4:10.70; 3,200 meters - 9:20.00, 3 mile cross country - 14:26.80.
Alex Tosi | Oyster Bay, N.Y.
Runner up at the 2015 NYSPHSAA Class C Cross Country Championships. Sixth place finish in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the 2016 NYSPHSAA Track and Field State Championship.
Personal Bests- 3,000m steeplechase - 9:23.88, 3,200 meters - 9:26.30.
"Today's announcement welcoming the Army West Point class of 2020 is the culmination of two years of hard work by our coaches, support staff and administration" Coach Smith. "This signifies a start to what we expect to be a very bright future. These young men will improve our depth, our athleticism and our competitive outlook. Now it is time to get to work."
The Black Knights kick off the 2016 season at a dual meet against the Black Bears of Maine on Sept. 2, in Orono, Maine.
Head coach Mike Smith is set to begin his third year at the helm of the men's program during the 2016 campaign.
"We brought in freshmen from all over the country, some of them are the best kids in the country" said Smith. "The freshmen outnumber the upperclassmen. We felt like we needed to do that and we came up with a good group of kids that will not only impact this year but certainly impact the future of the program."
Meet the Black Knights
Roman Ollar | West Linn, Ore.
Hails from the same high school as Army West Point Track and Field/Cross Country legend Dan Browne. Two-time runner-up at the Oregon 6A State Cross Country Championship (2014, 2015). Personal best of 15:01.00- 5,000 meter cross country. During the outdoor track and field 6A State Championship held at the University of Oregon, Roman won the 1,500-meter run with a performance of 3:51.30 and also finished runner-up in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 8:22.24. His 3:51.30 ranks no. 10 All-Time in the state of Ore. and was the ninth fastest time by a U.S. high schooler during the 2016 outdoor season.
Personal Bests- 800 meters - 1:53.94; 1500-meter run - 3:51.30; Mile - 4:11.00; 3,000 meters - 8:22.24; 5,000 meter cross country - 15:01.00
Ben Petrella | Liverpool, N.Y.
Petrella helped his cross country team qualify for three consecutive appearances at the Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) Championship during his career at Liverpool High School. He finished with a sixth place performance in Portland, Ore. at Nike Cross Nationals to cap off a senior cross country season that included winning an individual NYSPHSAA Class A Championship title, a NYSPHSAA Class A team title, a NXN New York Region individual title, and a Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year award. In the indoor season, Ben placed sixth at the New Balance Indoor Nationals at the full 2-mile distance running a time of 9:00.10. During the outdoor season Petrella won the 3,200 meter N.Y. State Championship with a time of 8:52.42, setting a new state meet record.
Personal Bests- 1-mile - 4:15.27; 3,200m - 8:52.42; 5,000 meter cross country - 15:15.10.
Christopher Landin | Clute, Texas
USMAPS via Brazoswood High School, Texas
Personal Bests- 800 meters - 1:58.32; 1,600-meter run - 4:17.13; 3,200 meters - 9:26.82
Matt Cohane | Franklin Lakes, N.J.
Third place finish in the 1,600-meter run at the 2016 NJSIAA Outdoor Track and Field Group Championship.
Personal Bests- 1,600 meters - 4:17.86; 5,000m cross country - 15:39.00.
Keegan Fitzpatrick | Maple Valley, Wash.
Ninth place finish at the WA 4A Cross Country State Championship.
Personal Bests- 1,600 meters - 4:28.70; 3,200-meter run - 9:31.86; 5000 meter cross country - 15:40.50.
Randy Hahn | Richmond, Va.
Three-time top-10 finisher at the Va. 4A Cross Country State Championship. Third place finish at the 2016 Va. 4A Indoor State Championship in the 1,000-meter run.
Personal Bests- 800 meters - 1:57.58; 1,000m(i) - 2:34.30; mile- 4:19.73
Connor McDonald | Chapel Hill, N.C.
13th place finish at the 2015 class 4A State Cross Country Championship.
Personal Bests- 800 meters - 1:57.80; 1,600-meter run - 4:26.23; 3,200 meters - 9:31.54; 5,000 meter cross country - 15:33.90.
Robbie Santoyo | La Puente, Calif.
Robbie was the fourth place finisher at the 2015 CIF Division IV Cross Country Finals.
Personal Bests- 800 meters - 1:56.79; 1,600-meter run - 4:18.26; 3,200 meters - 9:18.53; 5000-meter cross country - 15:19.70.
Keegan Smith | Huntley, Ill.
Three time top-20 finisher at the IHSA State Cross Country Championships (2013, 2014, and 2015). Finished eighth at the 2015 IHSA 3A Outdoor State Track and Field Championships in the 1,600 meter run.
Personal Bests- 800 meters - 1:55.06; 1,600-meter run - 4:10.70; 3,200 meters - 9:20.00, 3 mile cross country - 14:26.80.
Alex Tosi | Oyster Bay, N.Y.
Runner up at the 2015 NYSPHSAA Class C Cross Country Championships. Sixth place finish in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the 2016 NYSPHSAA Track and Field State Championship.
Personal Bests- 3,000m steeplechase - 9:23.88, 3,200 meters - 9:26.30.
"Today's announcement welcoming the Army West Point class of 2020 is the culmination of two years of hard work by our coaches, support staff and administration" Coach Smith. "This signifies a start to what we expect to be a very bright future. These young men will improve our depth, our athleticism and our competitive outlook. Now it is time to get to work."
The Black Knights kick off the 2016 season at a dual meet against the Black Bears of Maine on Sept. 2, in Orono, Maine.
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