ONEONTA, N.Y. - After winning the conference championship meet for the first time in program history, fifth-year Jonthomas Bierman (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck) is the SUNYAC Men's Cross Country Runner of the Year. Bierman placed first at the SUNYAC Championships with a time of 26:46.1 to grab first-team honors.

"JT is the kind of athlete every coach wishes they could have on their team," said associate head coach Kelly Vincent. "He is one of the hardest-working athletes I have ever coached, and I truly can't think of anyone else more deserving of this award."

With his first-place finish, he was named to the first team All-SUNYAC and was inducted into the league's Cross Country Hall of Fame. He placed 18th at 25:41.5 in the Niagara Region championship to advance to the 2024 NCAA Division III cross country championship, finishing 208th in the highly competitive field.

"Through all the ups and downs of the season, he never gave up on himself; he kept his eyes on the goals we had set for him at the beginning of the season, and he executed when he needed to, earning him the first individual conference champion in Oneonta history; earning him a second trip back to nationals. I am so proud of JT for his outstanding cross country career and his mark on this program."

Bierman also won the Oswego Invitational 6k at 19:35.7 and the Oneonta Airfield Invitational 6k with a personal best of 19:10.9.