NEW YORK — Culinary Institute of America sophomore Alyssa Byndas (Milford, Mich.) was picked as the Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Runner of the Year as the 2017 All-HVIAC Women's Cross Country Team was announced today.
Byndas, a one-time Runner of the Week this season, had two second-place finishes during the course of the regular season. Her 6-kilometer time of 24:16 was second best at the SUNY Purchase Invite and she capped off the regular season covering the 5-kilometer loop at the St. Joseph's Invitational in 20:00 to finish second again in the field of 167.
Peg Smith of Pratt Institute and Erin Cocca of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry were named Co-Rookies of the Year. Smith was a two-time Runner of the Week selection and highlighted her season with a third-place finish at the York Invitational with a 6K time of 26:09. Cocca was a three-time Rookie of the Week honoree who placed fourth at the Morrisville State Invitational with a 6K time of 26:11.
First-year Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences head coach Jeffery Barnes was selected as the 2017 Coach of the Year.
The HVIAC Runner of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year are selected by the women's cross country coaches in the conference prior to the HVIAC Championships based on performance during the regular season.
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| Emily Betance | Vaughn | Fr. | |
| Emily Booth | SUNY ESF | Fr. | Buffalo, N.Y. |
| Alyssa Byndas | Culinary | So. | Milford, Mich. |
| Erin Cocca | SUNY ESF | Fr. | East Aurora, N.Y. |
| Karissa Colombo | Davis | So. | Union Springs, N.Y. |
| Erin Cuddihy ** | SUNY ESF | Jr. | Hamburg, N.Y. |
| Gianna D'Angelo * | Albany Pharmacy | So. | Portland, Conn. |
| Alexi Deiseroth | SUNY ESF | Fr. | Horseheads, N.Y. |
| NyssaMae Garcie | New Rochelle | Jr. | Glendale Heights, Ill. |
| Andrea Gil | Berkeley | Fr. | Paterson, N.J. |
| Nicole Kulakowski | Albany Pharmacy | Sr. | Orchard Park, N.Y. |
| Marissa Lathrop ** | SUNY ESF | Jr. | Baldwinsville, N.Y. |
| Julia Lindsay *** | Albany Pharmacy | Sr. | Scotia, N.Y. |
| Catherine Phelps * | Albany Pharmacy | Jr. | Ballston Lake, N.Y. |
| Peg Smith | Pratt | Fr. | Littleton, Colo. |
| Laura Wengert | SUNY ESF | Sr. | Jamesville, N.Y. |
| Eden Zickler * | SUNY ESF | So. | Stone Ridge, N.Y. |
* Denotes 2016 All-Conference Team selection
** Denotes 2015 and 2016 All-Conference Team selection
*** Denotes 2014, 2015 and 2016 All-Conference Team selection
Runner of the Year - Alyssa Byndas (Culinary)
Co-Rookies of the Year - Peg Smith (Pratt) & Erin Cocca (SUNY ESF)
Coach of the Year - Jeffery Barnes (Albany Pharmacy)
