While Christopher Newport looks forward to the return of intercollegiate competitions, our friends at TowneBank are partnering with CNUsports.com to spend some time throughout the fall semester looking back at a few of the more memorable moments in the storied history of the athletic department. Over the course of the next three months, the Captains will honor the anniversary of three dozen record-setting accomplishments, championship-clinching victories, and other historic events in order to celebrate the past while preparing for even more great moments in the future.

AT A GLANCE
Stunning league power St. Andrews, Christopher Newport won the Dixie Conference Men's Cross Championship for the first time in school history with a stellar showcase during the title meet at the Mariners' Museum Course on November 1, 1980. Boasting a roster that included only one upperclassman, first-year head coach Vince Brown showcased the program's exciting potential while helping the Captains unseat the four-time defending champions. Following the first crown, decades of dominance followed as Brown and the Captains ushered in an era of championship excellence that remains unmatched in school history.
 
BACKSTORY
One year before the 1980 Dixie Conference Championships, St. Andrews edged out Christopher Newport to win its fourth straight league title. One month before the 1980 Dixie Conference Championships, St. Andrews edged out Christopher Newport to win a regular season dual meet.
 
One day before the 1980 Dixie Conference Championships, it would have been nearly impossible to find anyone other than a Captain who thought Christopher Newport had any chance to upend its decorated foe. And for good reason.
 
Entering the championship race, St. Andrews' top-five runners included only one freshman. Christopher Newport's top-five included only one upperclassman. Meanwhile, the Knights' coach, Floyd Blackwell, was already a legendary figure who was well on his way to a Hall of Fame career as the leader of the most accomplished cross country program in the league. Vince Brown was in his first year at the helm of the upstart Captains after a successful stint at nearby Hampton High School.
 
While Christopher Newport's future seemed bright, St. Andrews was already a veteran-laden powerhouse. But even with lopsided advantages in experience and past championships, there were glimmers of hope for the Captains.
 
In their earlier battle in 1980, Christopher Newport was missing freshman sensation Hoppie Crowder, who was nursing an ankle injury. He was cleared for the championship race. And with such a young roster, their potential seemed limitless. A few PRs and a couple breaks here and there, and the Captains had a shot.
 
Although outsiders may have given Christopher Newport little hope of winning the title, the Captains were ready for the challenge. As Brown noted to the Daily Press, "Our kids really wanted to run against St. Andrews again."
 
MEET RECAP
With another shot to dethrone the reigning champions, Christopher Newport knew the key to success. Earlier races saw the team's top-five runners separated by as much as two minutes. This time, the Captains needed a tight pack during the 5.3-mile competition at the Mariners' Museum.
 
Following the plan to perfection, five members of the squad planted themselves in front of St. Andrews' best runner at the midway mark. Two miles later, four Captains were still solidly ahead of their top challenger. Heading towards the finish line, the core of Christopher Newport's roster remained in front of St. Andrews' No. 1 runner.
 
At the finish line, senior Rick Tremblay placed third in the field with a time of 28:06. Most importantly, he was joined by a pair of his teammates. Freshmen Hoppie Crowder and Rudy Mendoza also crossed the line before the first Knight finished the race. Crowder was fourth overall in 28:12, while Mendoza was fifth in 28:17.
 
Rounding out the school's top finishers, Mark Chase was seventh in 28:42, and another CNU runner was eighth in 28:50. All told, the team's top-five produced a 44-second spread. Meanwhile, two other Captains also added top-20 efforts. Tim Martin placed 15th in 30:48, while Greg Downer was 16th in 31:03. Incredibly, of Christopher Newport's seven competitors, all but Crowder registered a season-best time during the race.

Overall, the Captains compiled a score of 24, which far out-distanced St. Andrews' mark of 51 and gave Christopher Newport its first cross country championship. The triumphant performance also sent the squad to the NCAA Regionals for only the second time in history.
 
For their work during the meet, Crowder, Mendoza, and Tremblay all earned All-Conference accolades, while Brown was honored as the league's Coach of the Year.
 
POSTSCRIPT
The 1980 league title was the opening chapter to a cross country dynasty. Six more championships followed before the Dixie Conference stopped awarding crowns shortly after Christopher Newport won its seventh straight. When the title meet was reinstated in 1993, the program picked up right where it had left off - winning 19 consecutive championships before exiting the league following the 2012 campaign. Between the time Vince Brown took over the program and the year Christopher Newport bid adieu to the Dixie / USA South Conference, the men's cross country team won 26 of the 27 possible championships.
 
Of course, Brown was at the forefront of the dynasty. In addition to his seven league crowns in the 1980s, he also helped Christopher Newport qualify for the NCAA Championships in 1984 while sending individual runners to the men's competition in 1982, 1989, 1990, and 1991. When he handed over daily control of the harriers to longtime assistant Dave Sobal in 1992, he stood tall as the finest cross country coach in school history.
 
And, on the side, he coached a little track & field, too.
 
In addition to his legendary work in the fall, Brown won 12 National Championships as the leader of the track & field program, building one of the most successful careers in NCAA history. Over the course of 25 years at Christopher Newport, he coached 61 individual and relay national champions and helped his athletes claim over 400 All-American honors in track & field.
 
But his very first title, the one that started it all, came in the fall.
 
For his efforts, Brown earned a spot in the Christopher Newport Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991. Over a decade later, he was inducted into the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2005.

For a full listing of the fall 2020 features published to date, click here.
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