NEW ORLEANS, LA – Graduate Student Alex Ross and junior Gavin McElhennon, who were both the individual winners at the 2022 NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional, were selected as the female and male USTFCCCA Athlete of the Year in the Mid-Atlantic region, it was announced today. Head Coach Bobby Van Allen was also honored as the Women's Coach of the Year in the region after his women's team won their 14^th consecutive regional title.
 
Ross Takes Home Women's Athlete of the Year
Alex Ross was selected the Mid-Atlantic Women's Athlete of the Year after coming in first place at the regional with a time of 21:42.8. After a second-place finish at the regional in 2021, Ross led the Blue Jays to a 14^th consecutive regional title and became the programs seventh individual winner at the regional and first one since Felicia Koerner in 2018. Ross also finished first at the Centennial Conference Championship, leading the Blue Jays who posted an impressive score of 15. Ross holds four of the top five fastest finishes on the team so far this season.
 
McElhennon Grabs Men's Athlete of the Year Honors
Gavin McElhennon also finished in first place at the Mid-Atlantic regional and was selected as the region's Male Athlete of the Year. The junior ran a time of 25:02.8 to capture the individual title, coming off a third-place finish at the Centennial Conference Championship. McElhennon became the first Blue Jay to win the individual regional championship since 1991 and is just the second runner in program history to ever finish in first place. He is now the first member in team history to receive the Men's Athlete of the Year award.
 
Van Allen Coach of The Year Once Again
Bobby Van Allen was announced as the Mid-Atlantic Region Women's Coach of the Year for the 13^th time in his career at Johns Hopkins. This is the eight consecutive year Van Allen has won this award and he has now won it 13 out of 14 seasons. Van Allen has also been the Men's Coach of the Year in the region twice.
 
All-Region Runners
The all-region teams for men's and women's cross country are comprised of the top 35 finishers at each of the NCAA regionals. The Blue Jays had several runners for the men's and women's team make it to the Mid-Atlantic All-Region team with their finishes. Joining Ross on the women's team was Sara Stephenson and Isis Diaz, with top ten finishes, Katharine Priu, Triya Roy and Jamie Stelnik with top 20 finishes, and Cooper Brotherton who finished in the top 30. All seven of the team's runners made it to the All-Region team. For the men, McElhennon was joined by Arthur Beyer and Jonas Larson, who were in the top 15, Matthew Kleiman, Charles Teeter, Rowan Cassidy, and Bryce Thalheimer. The men too had all their runners receive All-Region honors.
 
Both cross country teams will continue their season at the NCAA National Championships this upcoming weekend in East Lansing, MI.