Nov. 14, 2011

Bronx, N.Y. - Atlantic 10 Release

Fordham University junior Julian Saad (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull) was recognized for his athletic and academic accomplishments by being named to the 2011 Atlantic 10 Academic All-Conference Team for cross country in a vote by the conference's Sports Information Directors.

To be nominated for Academic All-Conference honors, a player must be a starter or important reserve and have a cumulative 3.0 gpa or better (on a 4.0 scale) for his/her entire academic career.

Saad, a Psychology major, finished fourth at the 2011 Atlantic 10 Men's Cross Country Championships in a time of 24:36.7 to earn All-Atlantic 10 honors. His fourth place finish is the best ever showing for a Fordham runner at the Atlantic 10 Championships, surpassing the previous best of a tenth-place finish by Matt Flynn in 2005.

On the year, Saad also became the first Fordham runner to win the Metropolitan Championship individual title, crossing the line in a time of 25:15 on October 7th, surpassing his previous career-best time of 25:45.21 set earlier this year at the Fordham Fiasco. The time was just 25.6 seconds off the Fordham school record of 24:49.4 set by Pat Lavery in 1988.

Saad also won the individual championship at the Purple Valley Classic at Williams College on September 24th, pacing the entire field over the 8K distance with a time of 26:13.27.

Most recently, Saad finished 32nd overall at the 2011 NCAA Division I Northeast Regional Championships at the Audubon Golf Course in Buffalo last Saturday, leading the team to a 13th place finish of 33 teams. He covered the 10K course in a time of 32:21.4, 5:13 behind the winner.

The cross country squads will return to action next Saturday, November 19th, as they compete at the ECAC/IC4A Championships at Van Cortlandt Park at 9:30 a.m.