Nov. 17, 2006

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Providence College senior Martin Fagan (Mullingar, Ireland) was named U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Northeast Region Male Athlete of the Year for cross country. The announcement was made by the USTFCCCA on Friday, November 17.

In 2006, Fagan captured his second-straight BIG EAST Conference individual title with a first-place finish at Franklin Park in Boston, Mass. on October 27, and won the NCAA Northeast Regional title for the first time in his career on November 11 at Van Cortlandt Park in Bronx, N.Y. At the BIG EAST Conference championship he finished the course 22-seconds ahead of the field, setting a championship course record with a time of 23:09. His effort helped to guide the Providence men's cross country team to its 15th BIG EAST Conference team championship overall. At the NCAA Northeast Regional, Fagan completed the 10K course 45-seconds ahead of the field with a time of 30:40.7. The Friars finished second in the team standings at the regionals and earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Cross Country Championships on November 20 in Terre Haute, Ind.

Fagan is familiar with the course in Terre Haute, having paced the field in the blue team men's race at Pre Nationals on October 14. Fagan won the race with a time of 23:30.3. Last season, Fagan finished the NCAA Cross Country Championships 16th and earned All-America honors with a time of 30:00. It marked his highest personal finish at the NCAA Championships.