SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (December 21, 2018) – Three of SUNY Delhi men's cross country's top runners recently made the marks to earn academic recognition from the American Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA). Senior Nicholas Arnecke (Edmeston, NY / Edmeston) was named to the All-Academic team, while fellow senior Kobie Lane (Port Jervis, NY / Port Jervis) and junior Lucas Reilly (Port Jervis, NY / Port Jervis) received spots on the ACAA Honor Roll.
The three harriers' performances during the season guided the Broncos to both their third straight ACAA and USCAA Championships. In the latter, Lane, Arnecke and Reilly were three of the four Broncos to take the top individual spots to win the national title with an astounding 19 points. This is Arnecke's second straight year landing ACAA All-Academic praise, joining 95 student-athletes conference-wide who hold GPA's of 3.50 or greater. It is the first for Lane and Reilly on the conference honor roll, standing among 46 student-athletes with GPA's between 3.25 and 3.49. To be eligible for these honors, the student-athletes must have completed two semesters at their current institution, and have participated in at least one contest during the current season.
Arnecke, a Hotel and Restaurant Management major with a 3.98 GPA, competed in just one regular-season race this season due to injury. But heading into the USCAA National Championship, he would not be denied his third straight First Team All-American placement, taking third with a time of 26:35.68. Arnecke also departs holding the fourth-fastest time in school history with a 25:32.0 mark at Lehigh's Paul Short Run in 2017.
A three-time USCAA National All-Academic, Arnecke was recognized his sophomore year as the 2016 USCAA Men's Cross Country Student-Athlete of the Year, as well as being named SUNY Delhi's first CoSIDA Academic All-American last spring. Outside of his responsibilities as a student-athlete, Arnecke donates his time timing high school meets, helping at the local pit run and volunteering at the nearby elementary school at Delaware Academy. He also works part-time in the Delhi community, while balancing his practice and school schedules.
Lane is a Criminal Justice major with a 3.36 GPA. He kept up his team-leading pedigree during the season with two USCAA Athlete of the Week honors, and three from the ACAA. He completed his cross country career with his second straight USCAA individual national title with a time 25:46.24. Lane also grabbed his third consecutive ACAA individual championship in a time of 27:09.9. The Port Jervis, NY native also leaves his mark holding the third-fastest 8K time in school history from his 25:20.0 performance at Lehigh's Paul Short Run in 2017.
Reilly also majors in Criminal Justice, possessing a 3.34 GPA. The junior took second at the ACAA Championships with a time of 28:34.0, and fourth at USCAA Nationals at 26:41.15. His performances sealed his second straight year as a both a USCAA First Team All-American and First Team All-ACAA. He currently ranks 13th all-time at Delhi with a time of 26:11.0, which he set at the Lehigh Paul Short Run in 2017.