WATERVILLE, Maine – The North Atlantic Conference (NAC) has announced the 2025 men’s cross country postseason awards, recognizing outstanding achievements in categories including , Runner of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Senior Scholar Athlete, and Coaching Staff of the Year.

Each season, the NAC selects a Sportsmanship Team, which includes one athlete from each institution as chosen by their head coach. This award honors athletes who exhibit outstanding sportsmanship, contributing to the overall culture of cross country through integrity and behavior that exceeds the expectations of the sport.

Maine Maritime Academy earned two men’s cross country awards as sophomore William Spaulding was named NAC Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year, while senior Cooper Parlee was honored as the 2025 Senior Scholar Athlete. Thomas’ Tristan Hughes was awarded this year’s Rookie of the Year honors with the UMaine-Farmington coaching staff, led by Head Coach Robbie Hollis and Assistant Coach Sean Cabaniss, receiving the Men’s Cross Country Coaching Staff of the Year award.

The Mariners’ Spaulding (Freeport, Maine) season was highlighted at the North Atlantic Conference Championship where he captured the 2025 NAC Men’s Cross Country individual title with a time of 27:41.8. He tallied three second-place finishes at the Thomas College Invitational, the NAC Preview Race, and the Ron Ouellette Invitational. In addition, he finished 19^th at the Maine State Championship with a personal-best time of 26:45.8. Furthermore, Spaulding earned NAC runner of the week honors two times on the year. 

Thome College’s First-Year Hughes (Searsmont, Maine) polished off his first season with the Terriers by earning NAC Rookie of the Year accolades. The Maine native was the first rookie to cross the finish line at the 2025 NAC championship finishing sixth with a time of 28:56.51. His performance at the championship earned him NAC First Team All-Conference honors. He was awarded NAC Rookie of the Week honors once this season and notched two other top 10 finishes on the season – 7^th place at the Thomas College Invitational and 8^th at the NAC Preview Race.

Maine Maritime’s Parlee (Brewer, Maine) has been selected, by vote of the conference head coaches and NAC institutions’ Faculty Athletic Representatives, as the 2025 NAC Men’s Cross Country Senior Scholar Athlete. Off the course, Parlee maintains a 3.96 GPA in marine systems engineering with minors in naval architecture, mathematics, and nuclear engineering operations. Parlee has completed his USCG 3rd Assistant Engineer License Program and worked for American Roll-on Roll-off Carriers during the summer of 2025. During 2024, Parlee was an engineering cadet, cadet yeoman for the T/S State of Maine and worked for Spirit Aerosystems as a research and development intern in 2023. Additionally, he has served as a regimental academic officer and a student tutor for math, physics, and engineering. 

“Cooper’s commitment and love for the sport set the tone for the team," stated Head Coach Bryan Wolf. “His combination of academic excellence, athletic dedication, and leadership makes him a standout both in the classroom and on the course. He is highly deserving of the NAC Senior Scholar Athlete award.” Parlee earned NAC All-Conference honors after finishing ninth at the NAC championship meet. He won the Thomas College Invitational, earning NAC runner of the week honors, finished third at the NAC preview, 43rd at the Maine State Championship and ninth at the Ron Ouellette Invitational. 

UMaine-Farmington’s coaching staff received the 2025 Men’s Cross Country Coaching Staff of the Year award for a third consecutive year. Head Coach Robbie Hollis and Assistant Coach Sean Cabaniss led the Beavers to their third straight NAC Championship, with six UMF runners earning All-Conference honors by finishing in the top 15.

2025 NAC Men’s Cross Country Major Awards:
Runner of the Year: William Spaulding, Maine Maritime Academy
Rookie of the Year: Tristan Hughes, Thomas College
Senior Scholar Athlete: Cooper Parlee, Maine Maritime Academy
Coaching Staff of the Year: UMaine-Farmington  
 
First Team All-Conference (Top 8 Finishers at NAC Championship)
William Spaulding – Maine Maritime Academy
Andrew LaFlamme – UMaine-Farmington
Gage Bruns – Thomas College
James Riley – UMaine-Farmington
Patrick McKenney – Thomas College
Tristan Hughes – Thomas College
Zephaniaya Alvarado – Lesley University
Ethan Linscott – UMaine-Farmington
 
Second Team All-Conference (Next 7 Finishers at NAC Championship)
Cooper Parlee – Maine Maritime Academy
Samuel Perkins – UMaine-Farmington
Alexander Gagnon - UMaine-Farmington
Jeffrey Flees – Thomas College
Hans Bakke - UMaine-Farmington
Alwin Andree – Thomas College
Owen Dawson – Maine Maritime Academy
 
Sportsmanship Team
James Brubeck, Maine Maritime Academy
Osmin Castaneda, Lesley University
Jaden Grazulis, Husson University
Michael Johnson, Thomas College
Nathan Moore, Vermont State University Lyndon
Hector Perez, UMaine-Presque Isle
Samuel Perkins, UMaine-Farmington