ORLANDO, Fla. - On Friday afternoon, the Sunshine State Conference announced the 2026 Cross Country Runner of the Year award. The annual award is announced before the SSC Championship and is nominated and selected by the league's coaches. Nicholas Scarangelli earned the Runner of the Year award for the second consecutive season. This is the first time in program history that the award has been won in back-to-back years and fifth time that an Embry-Riddle athlete has earned it. 

Scarangelli, competing in his senior year, has already carved out a successful running career at Embry-Riddle. In his first year, the Ocean City, New Jersey native had already caught the attention of the conference, winning the 2023 SSC Freshman of the Year award. During his sophomore campaign, he was named First Team All-SSC, NCAA Division II All-South Region, and ran the current sixth-best 10k (31:40.36) time in program history at the NCAA II South Regional (11/9/24). His 2025 junior year saw more awards and more records, as he earned the SSC Runner of the Year, First Team All-SSC, NCAA Division II All-South Region, 17th-best 10k time (32:15.9) at the NCAA II National Championshiop (11/22/25), and 20th-best 8K time (24:31.40) at the UAH Invitational (10/11/25). 

This year for Scarangelli has been proven to be no different, continuing his standard of excellence. Starting the season in Jacksonville, Fla. at the North Florida Invitational (9/4/26) he finished second in the 5k with a time of 14:57.7 helping the team to a second overall result out of 18 teams. At the FSU Pre-Regional (9/18/26), Scrarangelli set the pace for the Eagles finishing third overall in the 8k with a time of 24:34.9. He also finished fourth overall at the FSU XC Invite (10/9/26) with a 24:39.9 in the 8k. At the UAH Chargers Invitational (10/24/26), he finished sixth overall and set a PR in the 8k of 23:48.6, which is now the second-fastest time in program history.

Scarangelli and the Eagles will now turn their attention to Lakeland, Fla. as they prepare for the 2026 SSC Cross Country Championships tomorrow morning at Halloway Park.