STONY BROOK, N.Y. – When differentiating between collegiate athletes who are walk-ons and those who are scholarship recipients, it can be easy for one to write-off the potential that a walk-on has to impact their respective team. However, walk-on success stories are certainly not uncommon within the large scope of collegiate athletics. Senior Vann Moffett (Niantic, Conn.) is one of these stories.
 
Despite coming to campus with the designation of a walk-on three years ago, Moffett has established himself as a consistent low stick for the Stony Brook men's cross country team. This season, he has been either the first or second Seawolf to cross the line in every meet he has competed in and has been named the America East Performer of the Week twice.


 
Moffett's journey to becoming the dynamic runner he is today began in middle school when he joined the cross country team as something fun to do before soccer practice. From there, he joined his high school's cross country team and came to the realization that competitive running was something he wanted to pursue after his time at East Lyme High School came to a close.
 
"I knew in high school that I wanted to run collegiately, I just didn't know at what level," Moffett said. "But I knew where I was and I wanted to challenge myself enough and I felt that running at Stony Brook would give me the best challenge where I would get the most out of myself."
 
As a senior in high school, Moffett went on two official visits to determine where he wanted to compete for those important four years of his life. The first was Stony Brook and the second was his home state's flagship school, UConn.
 
While Moffett went through with his trip to Husky territory, his visit to Stony Brook had made such an impact on him that he knew Long Island was the place he wanted to be. 
 
"It just felt right when I got here," Moffett stated. "I did an official at UConn after and it was fun but I already had my mind made up that I wanted to come here. I called assistant coach Jason Headman and told him that I wanted to come here if he'd be happy to have me."


 
Fast forward to the present and Moffett has had quite the ride here as a Seawolf. He has been a part of two America East championship squads while also placing within the top 10 individually at the past two conference meets.
 
While an individual conference title is definitely in the realm of possibility for Moffett this weekend, for him it's all about doing whatever he can to bring the team trophy back to Stony Brook after missing the title by just one point in 2018.
 
"Winning an individual conference title is cool but I would trade an individual win for a team win, it just means so much more," Moffett said. "I will do whatever it takes to help the team win and bring the championship back home.

Moffett and the rest of the Seawolves squad will toe the line for the team title this Saturday on campus at UAlbany. The men's championship race is set to begin at 10:45 a.m.

Coach Ronan on the championship weekend:
"Saturday is the start of the season as far as we are concerned. Everything that we have done and achieved has been to get the team ready for Saturday's conference championship and the regional championships in Buffalo on November 15th. We enter Saturday's meet with high expectations, the focus has been on retaining the conference team championship. But on top of that we have also the potential to have the individual champion as well. Cam (Avery) and Vann have been terrific this fall, on and off the course. They lead our squad every time we line up and then each day at practice. Both of them have the ability to win the individual title. Ultimately, we want the team title, the key to that will be all the guys that line up being committed to the team's goal and finding a way to produce the run they are fit enough to achieve. If we run to our potential and fitness then we will have a great chance to achieve our team goal."