USTFCCCA Release | RPI Athletics on Instagram

TROY, N.Y. - The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Regional Awards have been announced and two from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) cross country garnered honors. Student-athlete Grant O'Connor has been chosen as the Atlantic Region Men's Athlete of the Year, while head coach John Lynch has been named the Atlantic Region Men's Coach of the Year. The awards are selected by member coaches from the division.

A senior, O'Connor (West Hartford, CT / Hall) is a repeat honoree as Athlete of the Year. He captured this year's award after winning last week's NCAA Atlantic Regional Championship Meet in 26:00.8, a victory of nearly five seconds over the runner-up (26:05.5). He ran the first mile of the 8K event in 5:07.8 and finished with an average pace of 5:14.0. The win, which came in a field of 307 competitors, helped the Engineers finish first (26 points) to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship on Saturday in Wisconsin.

In his four other races this fall, O'Connor, a second-year captain, has two runner-ups, including at the Liberty League Championship with a personal season best time of 24:51.3, a fifth place finish and an eighth place finish.

The electrical engineering major won last year's Atlantic Regional in a time of 24:14.0 before placing fourth in Division III at the NCAA Championship Meet with a time of 24:19.4. He is a two-time National All-America in cross country, having come in 25th place in 2016.

Lynch, who is in his eighth season at Rensselaer, has led the team to a No. 3 USTFCCA national ranking heading into Nationals. In addition to winning Regionals, the Engineers have won the Purple Valley Classic, Saratoga Invitational and Liberty League Championship. They had five runners in the top 10 at the conference meet, including individual winner Sean O'Connor (Stamford, NY / South Kortright Central) with Grant O'Connor finishing second. Last weekend, RPI saw its five scorers finish in the top 9 with Sean O'Connor placing fourth.

Rensselaer, which has a roster of 31, has not finished below fourth in any meet this season. Sean O'Connor has won four meets, while Grant has one victory. Saturday is the third consecutive NCAA Championship appearance and fourth overall for the program.

In addition to coaching the men's team, Lynch and his assistant coaches, Kailyn Balzano and Ben Fazio, also lead the women's program. That team finished second in the NCAA Atlantic Regional to earn an automatic bid to Saturday's national meet. It is the fourth straight trip for the Engineers.