Spider Cross Country Announces 2024 Athletes of the Year
01/27/2025 | Cross Country
RICHMOND, Va. — The University of Richmond's cross country program is proud to announce its 2024 Athletes of the Year, recognizing exceptional performances and contributions throughout the season. This year's honorees include Women's Athlete of the Year Laurel Kurtz, Men's Athlete of the Year Henry Haase, Women's Rookie of the Year Hallie Muniz and Men's Rookie of the Year Brady Barber.
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Women's Athlete of the Year
Senior Laurel Kurtz delivered a strong season, demonstrating leadership and excellence in competition. She began her campaign with an excellent performance at the 14-team Spider Alumni Open, where her time of 14:16 in the 4k event helped the Spiders secure a third-place team finish. At the NC State Adidas XC Challenge, she led the team, finishing 40th in the 5k race with a time of 18:12. Kurtz continued to shine at the ECU Pirate Invitational, where she finished 14th overall and was the top Spider with a time of 22:06 in the 6k event.
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Her season peaked at the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships at Pole Green Park, where she recorded a personal-best time of 20:54 in the 6k race. Her 8th-place finish earned her Atlantic 10 All-Conference honors for the third consecutive year. Laurel's dedication and performances established her as a cornerstone of the Spiders' success.
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Men's Athlete of the Year
Junior Henry Haase's 2024 season was marked by resilience and leadership, earning him recognition as the Men's Athlete of the Year. He began the season with a stellar performance at the Spider Alumni Open, finishing the 6k course in 18:33 to secure 8th place and lead the Spiders to a 4th-place team finish. Despite facing a midseason injury, Haase returned to form at the Panorama Farms Invitational, where he ran the 8k race in 25:11.
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Haase capped off his season at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships, held on the muddy fields of Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Leading the Spiders, he completed the 10k course in 32:20. His performances during the season underscored his importance to the team and his standing as a top performer for the Spiders in the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships.
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Women's Rookie of the Year
Freshman Hallie Muniz made an immediate impact in her debut season, earning the title of Women's Rookie of the Year. She began her campaign as the Spiders' fourth finisher at the ECU Pirate Invitational, completing the 6k course in 22:58. Muniz continued to build momentum at the Panorama Farms Invitational, where she ran 22:31 in the 6k race, finishing 61st in team scoring.
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At the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships, she posted a season-best time of 22:06 in the 6k event, placing 11th among rookies overall and as Richmond's third finisher. Her season concluded with a standout performance at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships. Muniz was the Spiders' top rookie finisher and 34th among rookies overall, navigating the muddy 6k course in 23:20. Her consistency and growth throughout the season highlighted her as a vital addition to the program.
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Men's Rookie of the Year
Freshman Brady Barber's notable debut season earned him the title of Men's Rookie of the Year. He opened the season as the Spiders' third freshman finisher at the Spider Alumni Open, contributing to the team's 4th-place finish. At the NC State Adidas XC Challenge, he maintained his strong form, completing the 6k course in 19:19 and finishing as the 14th freshman.
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Barber excelled at the ECU Pirate Invitational, finishing as the Spiders' number two runner with a time of 25:21 in the 8k. He led the Spiders at the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships, where he posted a personal-best 8k time of 25:07, finishing 8th among freshmen in the race. Though narrowly missing the Atlantic 10 Conference All-Rookie Team, Brady's consistent contributions and steady improvement have positioned him as a key runner for the Spiders moving forward.
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The University of Richmond cross country program congratulates these athletes on their contributions to the team's success. Their dedication and achievements embody the spirit of Spider Athletics and help set a high standard for future excellence.
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Women's Athlete of the Year
Senior Laurel Kurtz delivered a strong season, demonstrating leadership and excellence in competition. She began her campaign with an excellent performance at the 14-team Spider Alumni Open, where her time of 14:16 in the 4k event helped the Spiders secure a third-place team finish. At the NC State Adidas XC Challenge, she led the team, finishing 40th in the 5k race with a time of 18:12. Kurtz continued to shine at the ECU Pirate Invitational, where she finished 14th overall and was the top Spider with a time of 22:06 in the 6k event.
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Her season peaked at the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships at Pole Green Park, where she recorded a personal-best time of 20:54 in the 6k race. Her 8th-place finish earned her Atlantic 10 All-Conference honors for the third consecutive year. Laurel's dedication and performances established her as a cornerstone of the Spiders' success.
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Men's Athlete of the Year
Junior Henry Haase's 2024 season was marked by resilience and leadership, earning him recognition as the Men's Athlete of the Year. He began the season with a stellar performance at the Spider Alumni Open, finishing the 6k course in 18:33 to secure 8th place and lead the Spiders to a 4th-place team finish. Despite facing a midseason injury, Haase returned to form at the Panorama Farms Invitational, where he ran the 8k race in 25:11.
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Haase capped off his season at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships, held on the muddy fields of Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Leading the Spiders, he completed the 10k course in 32:20. His performances during the season underscored his importance to the team and his standing as a top performer for the Spiders in the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships.
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Women's Rookie of the Year
Freshman Hallie Muniz made an immediate impact in her debut season, earning the title of Women's Rookie of the Year. She began her campaign as the Spiders' fourth finisher at the ECU Pirate Invitational, completing the 6k course in 22:58. Muniz continued to build momentum at the Panorama Farms Invitational, where she ran 22:31 in the 6k race, finishing 61st in team scoring.
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At the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships, she posted a season-best time of 22:06 in the 6k event, placing 11th among rookies overall and as Richmond's third finisher. Her season concluded with a standout performance at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships. Muniz was the Spiders' top rookie finisher and 34th among rookies overall, navigating the muddy 6k course in 23:20. Her consistency and growth throughout the season highlighted her as a vital addition to the program.
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Men's Rookie of the Year
Freshman Brady Barber's notable debut season earned him the title of Men's Rookie of the Year. He opened the season as the Spiders' third freshman finisher at the Spider Alumni Open, contributing to the team's 4th-place finish. At the NC State Adidas XC Challenge, he maintained his strong form, completing the 6k course in 19:19 and finishing as the 14th freshman.
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Barber excelled at the ECU Pirate Invitational, finishing as the Spiders' number two runner with a time of 25:21 in the 8k. He led the Spiders at the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships, where he posted a personal-best 8k time of 25:07, finishing 8th among freshmen in the race. Though narrowly missing the Atlantic 10 Conference All-Rookie Team, Brady's consistent contributions and steady improvement have positioned him as a key runner for the Spiders moving forward.
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The University of Richmond cross country program congratulates these athletes on their contributions to the team's success. Their dedication and achievements embody the spirit of Spider Athletics and help set a high standard for future excellence.
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Players Mentioned
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/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
Alumni Open Recap
Saturday, August 30
Women's Cross Country Season Preview
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Men's Cross Country Season Preview
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Women's Cross Country A10 Championship Preview
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