LOUISVILLE, Kentucky -- Coming into the national meet at EP "Tom" Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Kentucky, Alex Phillip seemingly rewrote the John Carroll record books weekly having won all but one race he competed in this season.
The question was if he could win it all against the best in the nation and make even more history.
The junior delivered by winning the Division III National Championship as an individual with a time of 23:27.6, beating runner-up Elias Lindgren of Williams by nearly three seconds.
The victory cemented Phillip as the only two-time cross country All-American in program history and additionally the first national champion in Ohio Athletic Conference history. He also set the Sawyer State Park course record for a Division III National Championship.
"About 800 (meters) out I was a little bit nervous I was going to lose," Phillip recalled. "A runners' high came over me with about 400 (meters) left and I knew how badly I wanted it. It was the best feeling I've ever had in my life and I am trying to take in every second of it."
Phillip's win helped lead John Carroll to a podium finish, placing fourth with 179 points which is the team's highest finish ever at the national meet, besting its 19th place finish in 2019.
Pomona-Pitzer (80) won the championship as a team while MIT (112) and Williams (167) placed second and third, respectively.
"It's surreal and I can't even put it into words," head coach Kyle Basista said afterwards. "Coming in, top four was the hope, but to actually do it is the hardest part and I am so proud of everything these guys have accomplished."
Jamie Dailey came in 16th place with a time of 24:06.5 to earn All-American honors in cross country for the first time in his career. Freshmen Ryan Champa and Barrett Scheatzle made their marks in their first national championship race by placing 60th and 66th, respectively while Ian Pierson and Andrew Miner ran 81st and 92nd, respectively.
Jared Arnold finished out with a time of 24:58.8 for the Blue Streaks, placing 127th.
JCU and MIT were the only teams to have all seven runners run the 8K in under 25 minutes.
Basista, in his eighth season as head coach, is proud of what his team has accomplished and built during his time at John Carroll.
"It took me a while to process it," Basista said about his team's top four finish. "I got emotional after because when I saw the alumni and other teammates coming to support on the course, you realize you built something here and to actually see that and all the hard work finally pay off is just special."
