Whelan, Byler, McMahon, Keenan claim 2023 Runner of the Year honors

 
Final standings

The 2023 USATF Niagara Runner of the Year Series (RotY) concluded on December 3 with the Niagara 3 km Championships in Buffalo

The series was comprised of 10 events this year with the top 15 runners at each event earning points in the Open and Masters divisions.  The winner at each race earned 25 points with the 15th place finisher earning 1 point.  In the masters division athletes earn points based on their age-graded performance score.  The athletes best six scores counted towards their final point total.

The 10 races in the 2023 series were:

• 4 Mile Championships (March 04; Tipperary Hill 4 Mile Shamrock Run)
• 5 Mile Championships (March 11; Running of The Green 5 Mile) 
• Half Marathon (May 6; GBTC Grand Island 1/2 Marathon)   
• 10 km Championships (May 21; Lilac 10 km)    
• 1 Mile Track Championships (June 24; Niagara Outdoor T&F Championships)
• Mountain Running Championships (August 5; Swain Mountain Race)
• 5 km Championships (September 1; Tom Donnelly Hall of Fame 5k)
• Half Marathon Trail Championships (September 24; Unlimited Breadsticks Trail
• Cross Country Championships (November 4; Glavin XC Series)
• 3 km Championships (December 3; 

The division winners were Joseph Whelan (Open Men) of Webster; Trisha Byler (Open Women) of Honeoye Falls; John McMahon (Masters Men) of Williamsville; and Jenny Keenan (Masters Women) of Buffalo.
In the open men's division, Joseph Whelan and Scott Loforte of Canandaigua both ended the year with 144 points but Whelan was declared the winner based on the "head-to-head" tie breaker. Whelan and Loforte raced each other four times during the series with Whelan defeating Loforte three times. Whelan won the 4 mile, 5 mile, half marathon, and half marathon trail championships. Paul Suflita of Rochester finished third with 92 points.

Previous RotY standings (Open Men)

2022 - 1st Sam Morse; 2nd William Hilbert; 3rd Robert Cooper
2021 - 1st Adam Pacheck; 2nd Greg Selke; 3rd. Steve Haagsma
2019 - 1st. Adam Pacheck; 2nd Sam Morse; 3rd Tim Chichester        
2018 - 1st Adam Pacheck; 2nd Garrett Kenyon; 3rd Matthew Herbert   
2017 - 1st Omar Boulama; 2nd Elliott Martynkiewicz; 3rd Sam Morse    

In the open women's division Trisha Byler scored 129 points to win by just one point over Jenny Keenan. Byler won two championships (1 Mile Track, and 1/2 Marathon Trail) and finished second in two championships (5 km and Cross Country). It was the second time (2019) she has won the RotY honor.  Third place in the division was Lindsay Piraino of Rush with 94 points.

Previous RotY standings (Open Women)

2022 - 1st Annamaria Kostarellis; 2nd Trisha Byler; 3rd Katie Lembo
2021 - 1st Donna Langerfeld; 2nd Amanda Dole; 3rd Jennifer Boerner Selig
2019  - 1st Trisha Byler; 2nd Laurel Leone; 3rd Ann Ball              
2018 - 1st Laurel Leone; 2nd Donna Langerfeld; 3rd Mackenzie Donahue
2017 -  1st Kathryn Potter; 2nd Donna Langerfeld; 3rd Monicah Otwori

John McMahon won the masters men's division as he accumulated 138 points to win by 38 points over Jose Fuentes of Hamilton (Canada).  McMahon competed in seven of the eight championships earning the best age graded score in three (4 mile, 1/2 Marathon, and 1/2 Marathon Trail) and the second best score in two (5 mile and 3 km). Last year's winner Chip O'Hara of Auburn finished third with 82 points.

Previous RotY standings (Masters Men)

2022 - 1st Chip O'Hara; 2nd Mike Nier; 3rd Marcus Gage
2021 - 1st EJ Boyce; 2nd John McMahon; 3rd Mike Nier             
2019 - 1st Mark Andrews; 2nd Bill Beyerbach; 3rd Mike Nier
2018 - 1st Mike Nier; 2nd Mark Andrews; 3rd Kevin Clinefelter     
2017 - 1st Kevin Clinefelter; 2nd Derrick Jones; 3rd Mike Nier

Jenny Keenan competed in six of the eight championships to win the Masters Women's division with 147 points (the highest point total in the series).  In five of the races (1 Mile Track, 5 km, 1/2 Marathon Trail, Cross Country, and 3 km) she turned in the top age-graded score. Jacalyn Lembo (129 points) of Penfield and  Amy McMahon (90 points) of Williamsville finished second and third, respectively.

Previous RotY standings (Masters Women)

2022 - 1st Heather Patterson; 2nd Barbara Sauer; 3rd Elizabeth Matthews
2021 - 1st  Elizabeth Matthews; 2nd Amy Fakterowitz; 3rd Martha Doody
2019 - 1st  Amy Fakterowitz; 2nd Barbara Sauer; 3rd Colleen Magnussen
2018 - 1st Colleen Magnussen; 2nd Karyl Sargent; 3rd Karen Blodgett 
2017 - 1st Karyl Sargent; 2nd Heather Webster; 3rd Martha Doody