Moon caps off fantastic season with All-American honors

LANSING, Mich. - Spencer Moon of Simpson men's cross country rounded off a wonderful season by finishing 10th overall in the NCAA Division III Championship to earn All-American status, Saturday, at Forest Akers Golf Course.

With the performance, Moon became the first Storm runner since 1989 to earn the coveted All-American honor. Moon, who crossed the finish line in 25:12.0 for the 8K race, recorded the second-best finish at the NCAA Championship in school history with his run.

Moon, who has routinely run from the front in every race this season, was inside the top 10 at every checkpoint in the race, including as high as second at the 4.6K mark with a pack of around nine runners. Battling freezing temperatures and remnants of snow splattered all around the course, Moon improved his placing from last year's event by an astounding 108 spots. 

"Spencer was incredible today," said head coach Heath Moenck. "He's one of the top runners in the country and he showcased it today. To be in the top 10 in the country is special. He's worked extremely hard for this over the years and this was a great end to the season."

Alex Phillip of John Carroll won the race, with a time of 24:37.6, while Massachusetts Institute of Technology upset No. 1 Pomona-Pitzer to win the team title.

Moon will now look ahead to the track season starting in the waning parts of winter and early parts of spring.