AT SAN JOSÉ STATE: Completed his four-year Spartans' career in 2016...ten top-20 finishes in 22 career races including six top-six finishes...two-time Academic All-Mountain West Conference honoree...two-time Mountain West Scholar-Athlete Award recipient... 2015 San José State University Dean's Scholar recipient.
2015: Led Spartans in three races, at the USF Invitational, Fresno State Invitational and Santa Clara Invitational… Competed in six races, scoring in all of them… Season best second place finish at the 6K Fresno State Invitational (9/11) with a time of 18:28.3… Named the Mountain West Cross Country Athlete of the Week following the Fresno State Invitational… Finished third overall at the 8K Santa Clara Invitational (10/17) with a time of 24:03.9 to lead the Spartans to a first place team finish… Finished sixth overall at the season opening 8K USF Invitational with a time of 24:54.3… Second finisher among Spartans in two races, at the Stanford Invitational and NCAA West Regional Championships.
Spring Season Track Highlights: Competed in three distances, the 1500m, 5000m and 10000m… Set a personal record in the 1,500m at the Hornet Invitational (3/19) with a time of 3:51.83 finishing in seventh place… Improved his 5,000m best time at the San Francisco State Distance Carnival (4/1) to 14:23.78… Ran the 10,000m at the Mt.SAC Relays (4/14) in 30:48.63.
2014: Competed in six races, scoring in all of them... Spartans’ leader in four of the six races he competed in (USF Invitational, Fresno State Invitational, Mountain West Championship, and NCAA West Regional)… Season best second place finish at the Fresno State Invitational 6K (9/5) with a time of 18:38.00... Ran 24:24.80 at the 2014 Mountain West Championship 8K (10/31) finishing 21st... 8K season best 12th place finish at the USF Invitational (8/30) with a time of 25:43.3... Concluded the season with a top-50 finish in the NCAA West Regional 10K (11/14) meet finishing 45th with a time of 30:24.9.
Spring Season Track Highlights: Posted a best time of 3:53.59 in the 1,500m at the 2015 West Coast Last Chance Meet (5/9)… Best time of 14:25.60 in the 5,000m at the 2015 San Francisco State Distance Carnival (4/4).
2013: Competed in four races, scoring in all of them... Season-best 42nd place finish at the Fresno State Invitational 8K (9/14)... Clocked 25:23.0 for his fastest 8K time of the season at the Bronco Invitational (10/19)... 56th place with a time of 26:51.57 at the Mountain West Championship 8K (11/1).
HIGH SCHOOL: A graduate of St. Malachy's College in Belfast, Antrim, Ireland... was the 2012 Ulster Province under-19 cross country champion... Third place in the Antrim All-Ireland Under-19 cross country championships.
MORE ON BEN: A sociology major... Likes surfing, rollerblading and running during his free time... Plans to be a firefighter after graduation... Native of Belfast, Ireland.
CAREER FINISHES
| 2016 | |||
| Race | Time | Place | Distance |
| San Francisco Invitational | 24:40.5 | 4th | 8k |
| Stanford Invitational | 24:07.5 | 20th | 8k |
| Bronco Invitational | 23:57.8 | 8th | 8k |
| Santa Clara Duel | 23:57.8 | 2nd | 8k |
| Mountain West Championship | 25:22.5 | 42nd | 8k |
| NCAA Regional Championship | 31:43.0 | 90th | 10k |
|
2015 |
|
|
|
|
Race |
Time |
Place |
Distance |
|
USF Invitational |
24:54.3 |
6th |
8K |
|
Fresno State Invitational |
18:28.3 |
2nd |
6K |
|
Stanford Invitational |
24:46.4 |
48th |
8K |
|
Santa Clara Invitational |
24:03.9 |
3rd |
8K |
|
Mountain West Championship |
28:42.07 |
43rd |
8K |
|
NCAA West Regional |
32:33.3 |
74th |
10K |
|
2014 |
|
|
|
|
Race |
Time |
Place |
Distance |
|
USF Invitational |
25:43.3 |
12th |
8K |
|
Fresno State Invitational |
18:38.00 |
2nd |
6K |
|
Stanford Invitational |
25:30 |
141st |
8K |
|
Santa Clara Invitational |
24:03.8 |
17th |
8K |
|
Mountain West Championship |
24:24.8 |
21st |
8K |
|
NCAA West Regional |
30:24.9 |
45th |
10K |
|
2013 |
|
|
|
|
Race |
Time |
Place |
Distance |
|
Fresno State Invitational |
22:08.6 |
42nd |
4 miles |
|
Stanford Invitational |
28:28 |
196th |
8K |
|
Bronco Invitational |
25:23.0 |
102nd |
8K |
|
Mountain West Championship |
26:51.57 |
56th |
8K |