MADISON, Wis. (blugolds.com) - University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's Josh Thorson (So.-Plymouth, MN) has been named the 2014 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men's Cross Country Athlete of the Year, while Blugold head coach Dan Schwamberger has been selected the Coach of the Year based on voting conducted by the league coaches.

Thorson is the first individual in program history to receive the honor.  He won the WIAC championship with a time of 24:24.50 on the 8,000-meter course.  Thorson was the top conference finisher at the NCAA Division III Championship, placing third with a school-record time of 23:57.1.

Schwamberger, in his eighth season in charge of the Blugolds, directed the squad to its first WIAC title since 1980.  UW-Eau Claire also placed second at the Midwest Regional and seventh at the national meet.  The seventh-place finish at nationals was the best in program archives.