Photos courtesy of Steve Tober.
Photo 1: From left: MKA coach Matt Bach, Nick Wilson of Glen Ridge (Lehigh) and MKA Athletic Director Todd Smith.
Photo 2: Nick Wilson, sitting middle, poses with his family and coach Matt Bach. Sitting with him are his brother Tristan, a fourth grader at MKA, and mom Laura. Standing are Bach and Wilson’s dad Andrew Wilson.
By Steve Tober
MONTCLAIR, NJ – Glen Ridge resident Nick Wilson, a senior at Montclair Kimberley Academy, is the latest Cougar harrier to move on to the college ranks with his recent commitment to Lehigh University.
Wilson is following the path blazed by his predecessor as an MKA cross country and track senior leader, current Amherst College freshman Billy Massey, who along with other past cross country greats from the school such as Nicky Naranjo (UMass) and Oskar Nordenbring (Penn State) made their marks both on scholastic and collegiate cross country courses.
First-year head coach Matt Bach has provided a very smooth transition for the Cougar runners with his own unique approach to cross country after being selected to assume the reins of the MKA cross country and track programs following the April, 2017 passing of longtime coach Tom Fleming of Bloomfield.
For Wilson, one of the top veteran harriers on the 2017 MKA cross country team, the college process has led to a great landing spot.
“Going into the process I knew education was paramount and Lehigh is renowned for its academic excellence,” said the Cougars’ standout senior runner. “As I was touring some great schools I simply came to the conclusion that for me Lehigh had the right balance and that it also believes strongly that sports are also a big part of the educational experience and sees the importance of athletics in the lives of its student-athletes.”
Wilson finished a very impressive third in the Essex County championships on Oct. 28 at Brookdale Park, with a personal best time of 15:44.2.
Note: Steve Tober is the Sports Information Director at MKA.
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