GRANTHAM, PA – Franco Balbuena (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Coughlin) finished in 14^th place overall earning Second Team All-MAC honors in the process as the Wilkes University men's cross country team finished ninth of 16 teams at the 2016 Middle Atlantic Conference Championship 8k on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Colonels totaled 274 team points at the event with 156 runners.

Full Results
 
Balbuena crossed the line at 27:23, good for third all-time in the 8k in school history. Balbuena also holds the top two times in the 8k in school history.
 
Matthew Houser (Hazleton, PA/Hazleton) followed in 81^st place with a time of 30:08.2. Kevin Singhel (Athens, PA/Athens Area) finished in 88^th place at 30:31.3 while Alan Sebastianelli (Archbald, PA/Valley View) came in at 30:46.8 for 95^th place.
 
Ryan Weber (West Haven, CT/West Haven) ran a time of 31:32.9 for 105^th place, Kendrick Schell (Northampton, PA/Northampton) at 31:44 for 107^th place, Brandon Ver-Non (Peckville, PA/Valley View) at 32:07.8 for 113^th place and Killian Sloan (Bridgeton, NJ/Cumberland Regional) at 32:30 for 118^th place.
 
Jason Montemuro (Jim Thorpe, PA/Jim Thorpe) (131^st/33:38.7) and Jeremiah Bower (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Meyers) (152^nd/39:50.3) rounded out the Wilkes finishers at the event.
 
Widener captured the team championship with a score of 82, while DeSales and Messiah finished tied for second with 85 points each.
 
Wilkes concludes its season on Saturday, November 12 running at the NCAA Mideast Regional hosted by DeSales University starting at 12:30 p.m.

2016 MAC Men's Cross Country Awards
Team Champion: Widener University
Runner of the Year / Individual Champion: Ernie Pitone (Sr.), Widener
Rookie of the Year: Frank Livolsi (Fr.), Widener
Coach of the Year: Vince Touey, Widener

All-MAC First Team
1. Ernie Pitone (Sr.), Widener
2. Will McDermott (Sr.), Widener
3. Ben Schott (So.), Messiah
4. Sean Luzzi (Jr.), Misericordia
5. Frank Livolsi (Fr.), Widener
6. Langston Gash (So.), Stevenson
7. Gabe Lamm (So.), DeSales
8. Nicholas Scullin (Jr.), Lebanon Valley
9. Ben Siegel (Jr.), King's
10. Alex Fitch (So.), Misericordia

All-MAC Second Team
11. Bryton Henry (Fr.), Eastern
12. Quincy Amabile (Fr.), Lycoming
13. Trever Reed (Sr.), Misericordia
14. F. Balbuena (Fr.), Wilkes
15. Joshua Pardoe (Sr.), Messiah
16. Will Edwards (Sr.), DeSales
17. Greg Thomas (So.), Eastern
18. Brad Kilheeney (Sr.), DeSales
19. Alex Scheib (Fr.), Messiah
20. Noah Brady (So.), Lebanon Valley