Engel Adds Five for 2009 Men's Cross Country Team

ELON, N.C. – Head cross country coach Christine Engel announces the addition of five student-athletes to the 2009-10 Elon University men's cross country team. The class includes Conner Mercurio, Ranley Gousse, Larry Duran, Lucas Walters and Tim Garber.

“I am very excited about the addition of these young men and women to our program,” Engel said. “I know that they will have an immediate impact. As well as talented athletes, they are all standout students in the classroom as well.”

Hailing from Providence, R.I., Mercurio is a five-time Rhode Island All-State team member and a three-time LaSalle Academy cross country MVP. He owns personal records of 15:56 in the 5K, 8:40 in the 3K, 4:04 in the 1,500-meter run, 4:24 in the one-mile run and a 9:22 in the two-mile run. In addition to being the captain of the cross country team, Mercurio served as the team captain for both the indoor track and baseball team.

A native of Winter Park, Fla. Gousse was a member of the 2007 state championship and 2008 state championship runner-up cross country team at Trinity Prep. Gousse owns personal records of 15:56 in the 5K, 9:41 in the 3,200-meter run, 4:31 in the 1,600-meter run and a 1:57 at the 800-meter split. He also helped his track team to back-to-back state championships in the 4x800-meter relay in 2008 and 2009. Gousse was named to the 2006 and 2008 all-state team and the 2005 and 2007 all-county team. In 2008, he was named the 2008 Orange County Cross Country Runner of the year and named to the All-Central Florida team.

A Miami, Fla. native, Duran is a five-time letterwinner at Belen Jesuit High School. He helped his cross county team to three-straight state championships from 2006-2008 and a track state championship in 2008. As a team captain of both the cross country and track teams, Duran owns personal best times of 15:50 in the 5,000-meter run, 1:57 in the 800-meter run and 4:29 in the 1,600-meter run.

Walters comes to Elon after competing in the Nike Team Nationals competition in 2007 as a member of the Medina High School cross country team. He is also a member of the 2007 Ohio state championship team. A standout in the classroom as well, Walters was named a Fox Sports Scholar Athlete, a National Merit Commended Scholar and was a member of the National Honor Society.

Garber, a native of Kennett Square, Pa. comes to Elon after serving as the captain of Unionville High School’s track team. He was named the team’s MVP following his junior and senior seasons and was a member of the National Honor Society.

- ELON -

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