Cornell University Athletics

Eckel is one of only three male cross country athletes to earn three All-Ivy cross country honors in their Cornell careers. In 1955, he captured the Heps championship in cross country (25:46.6), and placed among the top five in 1956 and 1957 for his second and third honors. As a senior, Eckel won the indoor two-mile run Heps crown (9:32.4). In 1958, he set a time of 25:00 for sixth place at the IC4A meet at Van Cortlandt Park, a school record that stood until 1970 and remained among Cornell's top 10 times for more than 50 years. With Eckel as captain of the freshmen harriers, Cornell won the freshman IC4A Championship and was second at the AAU National Junior Championships. During his career, Cornell captured three Heps team championships in cross country. Eckel was the recipient of the first John Moakley award (1955), given to the senior who has done the most for Cornell cross country, and was a two-time team MVP award winner ('55, '57). Coach Lou Montgomery called Eckel "the greatest combined cross country and track man ever to represent Cornell University."