Cross Country Runner Benjamin Fazio Named Performer of the Week

EAST GREENWICH, RI -- Cross Country runner Benjamin Fazio is the Liberty League's Performer of the Week, according to Kevin Beattie, spokesman for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where Fazio is a student-athlete.

At the Saratoga Invitational, Fazio helped RPI come in first among the 14 schools competing. Nobody came anywhere near the Engineers, who racked up 70 points more than the second-best squad from the State University of New York at Delhi.

He also won the individual title, running the men's 8K course ahead of the 171 other runners. He finished 15 seconds ahead of the runner-up.

It's not his first honor, Beattie said.

"A two-time National All-America, Fazio was also selected to the Sept. 12 Weekly Honor Roll after finishing fifth in the 238-runner Ron Stonitsch Invitational hosted by Vassar College. He ran the 6K race in a time of 19:31.2 (5:14.1 pace), which was less than five seconds from fourth place and fewer than 10 from a top three
finish."

He's also a familiar name on the league's Weekly Honor Roll. In fact, Beattie said, Fazio made the list just last week for his Division III third overall place finish in the Purple Valley Classic, which Williams College hosted.

"He missed second place by less than two seconds," Beattie said. "Fazio was the league's top weekly performer three times as a junior and once as a sophomore. He collected three Rookie of the Week awards in his first season."

Photo Courtesy Tom Killips/RPI Athletics