SHELBYVILLE -- The Earlham College men's cross country team battled rain and cold to win its first Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference championship in program history at Blue River Memorial Park. 

The men's team finished with an average time of 27:58 in the 8K race to win the event while the women averaged a 26:52 in the 6K to finish in sixth. 

The Quaker men were closely followed by Manchester who finished just six total points behind Earlham, the race for the win came down to the final 600 meters of the race. 

Connor Del Carmen earned newcomer of the year on the men's side as he led the Quakers with a seventh-place finish. Ian Gorely was second for the Quakers, finishing less than a second behind Del Carmen. The pair earned All-HCAC status. 

Shianna Bellingham earned all-conference honors on the women's side with her ninth-place finish. 

Austin Burt, Alex Roberts, Henry Foultner and Greta Shaffer earned honorable mention status for their finishing position. 

This ranks as the first men's cross country championship for the Quakers since 1996 and the fourth conference championship in program history. 

Derick Lawrence was named Cross Country Coach of the Year by the HCAC. 

Both teams improved from their preseason ranking, where the men were tabbed third and the women selected seventh. 

The Quakers will be back on course November 13th at the NCAA Championships in Louisvilley, Ky.