LOWELL, Mass. – UMass Lowell junior
Robert Allen (Cranston, R.I.) today was named the America East Conference Cross Country Male Performer of the Week following his win at the Iona College Br. John "Paddy" Doyle Meet of Champions 8K cross country meet Saturday morning in Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, N.Y.
It is not the first honor for Allen following his impressive victory in the Bronx. Monday he was honored as the Division I National Athlete of the Week by the U. S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Allen was also named the River Hawk of the Week in voting by the UMass Lowell Communications staff.
"He's a great worker, he's a super tough competitor and he has a great deal of talent," said Head Coach
Gary Gardner. "He's learned to be tough not just for two or three minutes, but for 25 minutes. That's not easy."
Saturday's race in New York was Allen's first cross country competition in two years and his first in a River Hawk uniform. Allen transfered to UMass Lowell after two years at Rhode Island Community College. He competed for UMass Lowell during the indoor and outdoor track seasons last winter and spring.
"I always go in with positive thinking and wearing the uniform really pumped me up," said Allen. "I wanted to make UMass Lowell proud in my first cross country race."
Allen did just that in a field of more than 200 runners representing 23 colleges. The meet is considered one of the premier cross country events in the northeast. He crossed the finish line in a time of 25-minutes 32.8-seconds, some nine seconds ahead of his nearest challenger.
"The one thing Bobby did (Saturday) which doesn't always happen is that he ran smart," said Gardner. "The one thing we told him was not to take the lead, sit in the pack and wait until he could strike from home."
The strategy was well thought out and effectively employed by the eventual winner. Allen ran with the lead group, including a couple of All-Americans from the University of Arkansas, throughout the race, but grabbed the top spot following a hill climb as the race moved into the final mile.
UMass Lowell returns to competition on Saturday, September 27 at the University of Vermont.
