Natalini earns 1st Team All American at USCAA National Championships
Virginia Beach, VA - Freshman men's cross country runner Mason Natalini earned 1st Team All-American at the USCAA Fall Championships this past weekend in Viginia Beach, VA. In the wake of impending hurricane Nicole weather, the Men's Cross Country Championships, held at Bells Mill Park on Friday afternoon, proved difficult for runners competining on a muddy course in high humidity. Natalini, a stand-out for the Lions all season, completed the 8k course in 28:29, placing 5th overall, making him the first male runner from Penn State Scranton to earn 1st Team All-American in the USCAA Championship race.
Natalini is hot off a successful freshman season, placing 1st overall in 5 out of the of the 7 meets. In the PSUAC, Natalini was named Men's Runner of the Week four times and USCAA runner of the week after placing 1st overall in the PSUAC Invitational, where Penn State Scranton took the crown. Noteably this season Mason had a personal best at the Wilkes Blue & Gold Invitational, placing 1st overall among the NCAA field, at 27:40 and at Penn State Fayette's Roaring Lions Invitational Natalini clocked 27:44,2nd overall and 30 seconds behind a NCAA D2 competitior.
"You can't tell Mason he can't do it, because he will," Head Coach Sara Rinkunas commented. "He goes in confident and sets his goal and then goes and gets it. He feels out the competition, knows how to run smart and read others fatigue levels. He can turn it on when you are gassing out and that is due to his consisitency and effort everyday, that is what makes him successful everytime he goes out there."
With Natalini in the lead, the Scranton Lions put together good placement, finishing their top 5 within good scoring position. Finishing in the top 5 in three of his six meets, freshman Will Leety added to this seasons success. At the USCAA meet Leety placed in the top 30, at 32:46, backed up by captain Matt Diehl who clocked 34:12. Adding to the team score were sophomore's Ayden Johannson, 35:54 and Bobby Lenchitsky, 37:06.
