NEW ORLEANS – Haverford College senior Peter LaRochelle has been named the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Metro Region Cross Country Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive season, the organization announced Tuesday afternoon. Award winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches. Only those individuals from USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for awards.
LaRochelle's latest honor marks the third consecutive Metro Region Athlete of the Year awards for Haverford, following Ryan Kredell's recognition in 2022. LaRochelle took home his second consecutive NCAA Metro Regional individual title on Saturday at the North Athletic Complex on the campus of Stockton University, leading the field of 186 competitors with a time of 24:34.8.
The Great Barrington, Mass., native became the 15th individual regional champion in program history and the first Haverford runner to claim multiple regional titles since Charlie Marquardt accomplished the feat in 2014 and 2015.
This season, LaRochelle consistently delivered standout performances, finishing no lower than fifth in any meet he competed in. His achievements included a runner-up finish at the Centennial Conference Championships and a victory at the Main Line Invitational.
In addition to his USTFCCCA honor, LaRochelle earned First-Team All-Centennial recognition for 2024. In 2023, LaRochelle additionally added Centennial Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year as well as the PhillySIDA Academic All-Area Performer of the Year a season ago.
LaRochelle and teammate Reza Eshghi will represent the Fords at the 2024 NCAA Division III Championships on Saturday, November 23, at noon ET in Terre Haute, Indiana. LaRochelle will aim to secure his second consecutive All-America honor with a top 40 finish while Eshghi chases his first national cross country honor.