EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The UW-Eau Claire men's cross country team handed out this year's team awards this past weekend at the annual team banquet.
Ryan Mugan (So.-Howards Grove, Wis.) was named the Most Valuable Runner. Mugan led the Blugolds to their highest finish ever at the NCAA Championship, ninth place, as he earned All-American honors for a 13th-place individual finish. Competing in eight different events this season, he was sixth at the NCAA Regional and fifth at the WIAC Championship. Mugan had the fourth fastest time in school history at regionals as he finished with a time of 24:34.
Receiving Most Improved honors was Christian Leitner (So.-Red Wing, Minn.). Competing in eight events this season, Leitner took 55th at the NCAA Championship and 46th at the NCAA Regional. At the WIAC Championship on Nov. 2, he came in 14th place overall.
Michael Bushar (Fr.-Weston, Wis./D.C. Everest) was selected the team's Most Valuable Freshman. Bushar competed in six different events this season, the last time at the WIAC Championship where he came in 31st place overall.
Earning the Blugold Award was Matt Wenaas (Sr.-Chippewa Falls, Wis./McDonell). Running at eight different events this season, Wenaas ended the year at the NCAA Championship, where he finished 132nd overall. He was also 31st at the NCAA Regional and 28th at the WIAC Championship.
Matt Scott (Sr.-Kiel, Wis.) was presented with a four-year letter award. At regionals, Scott had a time of 24:43, the eighth fastest time in school history, taking ninth place overall. He took 146th place at the NCAA Championship and was seventh at the WIAC Championship. In 2010, Scott earned the team's Most Valuable Freshman award.
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