DYLAN FORMAN
Staff Writer
Senior cross country standout Zakkary Hess traveled to Mason, Ohio, to compete in his final race as a Fredonia Blue Devil on Saturday. It was his second consecutive year competing at the NCAA DIII National Championships. Last weekend, at the NCAA Atlantic Regional Championships, Hess had the highest finish for a Fredonia runner in over 20 years.
As the only SUNYAC runner to qualify as an individual for Nationals, Hess competed in a strong field of 280 runners. After 5,000 meters Hess was in the middle of the pack at 19:33. By 6,500 meters, he was in 168th place.
The course consisted of mud and slush; the runners had to battle the weather and compete at the highest level. Over the final 1,500 meters, Hess was able to finish strong, as he has done all season, by moving from 168th place to 133rd. Hess’ final time of 25:33 was just 1:49 behind the overall winner. He averaged an impressive 5:08 per mile over the 8,000 meter course.
After the race, Head Coach Tom Wilson said, “The race ended up being a lot faster than we thought it was going to be. We stuck to our game plan, but the course was faster and muddier than we anticipated.”
Hess’ performance, coupled with his 3.9 GPA, has earned him Academic All-American honors.
Coach Wilson was nothing but proud of the team’s leader on Saturday.
“He’s matured throughout his college career and we’re very optimistic about the upcoming indoor season,” Wilson said.
Hess will surely be looking to improve his current times and earn a trip to the NCAA DIII Indoor Track & Field National Championships. He currently has personal records of 4:16 (Mile) and 15:02 (5K), respectively. After a strong cross country season, Hess will be attempting to improve his times and make a significant impact, as he’s done for the past four years.