KEENE, N.H.—Keene State College fifth year Jake Velazquez has been named the United States Track and Field and Cross Country  Coaches Association  East Region Runner of the Year, it was announced this afternoon.

Velazquez (Keene, N.H.) has had an outstanding year in his only season in a KSC uniform.  He won five different races, including the Little East Conference championship on November 2 and the NCAA East Region Championship on November 16.

A transfer from UMass Lowell, Velazquez was named the LEC Runner of the Year and First Team All-LEC, leading the Owls' men's cross country team to its first Little East Conference championship since 2015.

Velazquez was named the LEC Runner of the Week four times this year, and joins the company of Mark Miller and Wilson Perez as previous winners of the award.

"It's exciting for Jake to be named East Region Runner of the Year," said head coach Dan Roark. "Keene State has had a storied history with cross country runners and having Jake win the East regional meet has helped return the program to regional prominence. Jake is in good company with names like Wilson Perez and Mark Miller as. previous egional winners. Jake has had many battles along the way and very happy for the success he has found at Keene State and excited for his race this weekend."

Velazquez is the second male Owl runner to qualify for the NCAA Division III Championships in the last three years, and will race on Saturday, November 23, at LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Ind., hosted by Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.