PROVIDENCE, R.I. – When men’s cross country became an LEC championship sport in 1988, UMass Dartmouth immediately established itself as the program to beat. The Corsairs captured each of the first nine LEC Men’s Cross Country Championships from 1988 through 1996, putting together one of the most dominant championship runs in conference history.
During the nine-year stretch, UMass Dartmouth combined outstanding team depth with some of the top individual runners in the conference, setting the standard for LEC men’s cross country during the sport’s early years.
THE STREAK BEGINS
UMass Dartmouth’s run began at the inaugural LEC Men’s Cross Country Championship in 1988, when the Corsairs captured the conference’s first team title with 28 points.Bill Weschrob led UMass Dartmouth with a second-place finish in 26:23, followed by Thomas Tracy in third at 26:29 and Jim Callaghan in fourth at 26:31. Neis Lindblom also placed among the top seven, giving the Corsairs four of the first seven runners across the finish line.
UMass Dartmouth successfully defended its title in 1989, scoring 25 points behind another strong team performance. Weschrob placed third as the Corsairs had five runners finish among the top seven.
BUILDING A DYNASTY
The Corsairs dynasty was officially established with their third consecutive Little East title win in 1990 as they scored a championship-record 20 points. David Krall finished second individually, while Weschrob and Callaghan placed third and fourth, respectively. UMass Dartmouth finished the meet with six runners among the top seven.
UMass Dartmouth turned in its strongest performances of the era in 1994, winning its seventh consecutive title with a conference-record 17 points. Deon Barrett led a one-two-three finish for the Corsairs, followed by Jeffrey Mahoney and Tom Steele. Christopher Elgar and Michael Paulin placed fifth and sixth to round out UMAss Dartmouth’s five scoring runners, with fellow Corsair Geoff Kearton earning the seventh and final spot on the LEC all-conference team.
The Corsairs’ 1996 squad completed their run of nine consecutive conference championships with a team score of 21 points. Steele was the first to cross the finish line to take home the individual title, while Paulin, Wayne Demery and Tim Gonet placed third through fifth
INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS LEAD THE WAY
UMass Dartmouth’s team success was accompanied by a five-year stretch in which a Corsair captured the LEC individual championship each season.
Barrett became the first UMass Dartmouth runner to win the LEC individual men’s cross country championship in 1992, crossing the finish line in 26:38. repeated as the individual champion in 1993 with a time of 26:47 before capturing his third consecutive title in 1994 with a winning time of 26:10.
Barrett was the first in LEC history to win three consecutive individual conference titles, and is one of just three three-time LEC individual champions to-date. He became the first Corsair from this era to be inducted into the LEC Hall of Fame in 2022.
Steele continued UMass Dartmouth’s run of individual champions in 1995, winning the conference title in 26:17. He successfully defended his crown in 1996, posting a time of 25:50 to capture his second consecutive individual championship and become the LEC’s third repeat champion
Steele’s 1996 victory gave UMass Dartmouth five consecutive individual LEC titles and helped the Corsairs complete their run of nine straight team championships.
SUCCESS ON THE NATIONAL STAGE
UMass Dartmouth’s success during the era extended beyond the Little East Conference.Under head coach Jonathan Hird, who took over the program in 1988, the Corsairs made multiple appearances at the NCAA Division III Men’s Cross Country Championship.
UMass Dartmouth qualified as a team for the NCAA Division III Championship in 1989, finishing 16th nationally. The Corsairs returned to the national championship in 1990 and placed 18th.The program also competed at the NCAA national meet in 1994, adding to a tradition of national success that had already been established by UMass Dartmouth men’s cross country prior to the Little East sponsoring the sport.
A DOMINANT RUN
From the first LEC Men’s Cross Country Championship in 1988 through the 1996 season, UMass Dartmouth won every conference title contested.
The Corsairs’ nine consecutive championships established the standard for LEC men’s cross country during the conference’s early years and remains tied for the longest championship streak in the sport’s history.
UMass Dartmouth’s combination of nine consecutive team championships, five straight individual titles and success on the national stage established one of the most dominant stretches by any program in the first 40 years of Little East Conference history.
LEC 40th Anniversary
The Little East Conference is celebrating its 40th Anniversary during the 2026-27 academic year with its “LEC 40 for 40 Series,” which will feature 40 installments highlighting some of the people, programs and moments that have contributed to the Little East’s storied history and success.