2012 Men's Cross Country All-PacWest Team

Phoenix, AZ -- One year ago, Clemens Kammer had not run in cross country races above 3,000 meters. Now, under the tutelage of the Academy of Art University coaching staff, Kammer has been named Pacific West Conference Freshman of the Year after his 4th finish at this year's PacWest Championships. The Rossdorf, Germany native also picked up an All-PacWest First Team honor for the performance. Having run alongside Kammer throughout the season, sophomore Jack Nevins secured an All-PacWest Second Team honor for his 9th finish in the championship race. Each Urban Knight concluded their respective 2012 seasons with solid results at the NCAA West Regional Championships this past weekend.

Kammer began his 2012 campaign with a 17th place finish at the USF Invitational which eventually earned him a PacWest Runner of the Week honor. Over the course of the regular season, the freshman was the top finisher for ART U in all five competitions, highlighted by a pair of second place finishes (SF State and Bronco Open) and times consistently around 25:50. His lifetime best would come in the form of a 25:41.8 time on Oct. 13 at the Bronco Open.

At the PacWest Championships, Kammer broke out for 4th overall with a 26:15.95 mark that was impressive given the humid conditions at the Kahuku Golf Course in Hawaii. Back on the same course for his and the Urban Knights' NCAA Regionals debut, Kammer took 74th overall in the first 10k race of his career. 

As the squad's lone returner from last year, Nevins willingly demonstrated his talents in 2012 combining the guidance he received from ART U legends Amos Maru and Daveson Marindich in 2011. The Sacramento, CA native came through with a PacWest Weekly Fantastic 15 award to start the season then added two 13th place finishes (SF State and Bronco Open). He also posted a new lifetime best also at Bronco which dropped over 10 seconds off the record time he previously had at the 2011 PacWest Championships.

This year, Nevins used a late burst to push past several competing runners and break into the Top 10. His time of 26:35.15 also helped guide the men's team to a 5th place finish overall in conference. When it came time for the 10k race at NCAA West Regionals, Nevins proved he was up for the challenge, coming in at 60th overall (34:33.35) as again the 9th highest finisher among PacWest runners.

This is the first All-PacWest Team honors for Nevins and the PacWest Freshman of the Year award starts off Kammer's career with Academy of Art University.