Oct. 28, 2011

CONCORD, N.C.-- The Atlantic 10 Conference will observe a moment of silence prior to the start of Saturday's 2011 Cross Country Championships in remembrance of former La Salle coach Charles Torpey and University of Rhode Island baseball student-athlete Joseph Paul Ciancola.

Torpey, who passed away this past July of a heart attack, won 16 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year honors, including 13 in cross country, and led his teams to 15 Atlantic 10 Championships during his illustrious 17-year tenure at La Salle.

In cross country, Torpey's teams captured 13 A-10 Championships. His men's team won four straight from 2001-04 and added titles in 1999, 2006, and 2007. On the women's side, the Explorers won four consecutive championships from 2004-07 and titles in 2001 and 2002.

Nine individual runners captured individual Atlantic 10 Cross Country titles under Torpey's guidance, including five straight women's championships from 2002-06.

His teams have been ranked regionally every year since 1998. He tutored 41 All-District runners, nine NCAA qualifiers and two All-Americans during his remarkable tenure.

Ciancola, passed away Thursday afternoon, Oct. 27, following a medical emergency during a team preseason conditioning workout.

The Cross Country Championships will begin at 10:00 am Saturday at Frank Liske Park in Concord, N.C.