CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Over this past week, the Great Danes hosted the UAlbany XC Invitational (8K), which the women’s squad of Binghamton took also part in. The Binghamton men’s side, Hartford, Stony Brook and UMBC all travelled to Princeton, New Jersey, for the Princeton Invitational. The men’s squad from UMass Lowell travelled to Indiana for the NCAA Pre-National Meet (8K), and the Catamounts of Vermont took part in the Rothenberg Run in Providence, Rhode Island (8K).
Male Performer of the Week
Eric Speakman, Senior, Stony Brook
- Eric Speakman outran all the America East competition this week, running the 8K Princeton Invitational course in a time of 24:05. The time was a personal best for Speakman this season in an 8K race.
- Speakman led the Seawolves to a 20th place.
- Stony Brook raced against tough competition, including Villanova who is ranked eighth nationally.
- The Stony Brook senior fell to only two competitors, both of whom were from regionally ranked powers; the Penn competitor who won the race anchored the sixth ranked Mid-Atlantic team, and the second place finisher was part of Virginia Tech who ranks seventh in the Southeast Region.
Female Performer of the Week
Christina Melian, Junior, Stony Brook
- Christina Melian finished second at the Princeton Cross Country Invitational, running the 6K course with a time of 21:12.
- Melian led the Stony Brook Seawolves to a fourth place overall finish out of 35 competing schools.
- Stony Brook went up against stiff competition, including nationally ranked Villanova at #21. Seawolves also faced top ranked regional powers, including the aforementioned Wildcats, who are third in the Mid-Atlantic Region, and Virginia Tech who’s fifth in the Southeastern Region.
Men's Cross Country Notes
- Albany finished second in their Invitational, placing just five points behind Middlebury. The Great Danes were led by Christopher Buchana, who won the 8K event with a time of 25:18.2.
- As a team, UMBC led all America East schools placing fifth in the Princeton Invitational; Binghamton ended up placing 11th, Stony Brook took 20th, and Hartford finished in 33rd. There were 37 total schools competing in total.
- UMass Lowell placed 6th in the NCAA Pre-National White Race (8K), led by Robert Allen who placed eighth, and raced the course in 25:14.4. The River Hawks fell to some regionally ranked opponents: Indiana is third in the Great Lakes Region, while Central Michigan is in the 11 spot. Within the Southeast Region, Kentucky, from their ninth ranked spot, placed just one spot ahead of UMass Lowell.
- Vermont Won the Rothenberg XC Meet, and junior Dan Moroney set a new course record, winning the 8K event with a time of 24:42.8.
- In the latest USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Regional Cross Country Rankings, UMBC rose one spot to number nine in the Mid-Atlantic Region. New Hampshire is now the lone America East squad in the North East Region, sitting at the 12 spot.
- 4 schools are in action this upcoming week; Hartford, UMass Lowell, New Hampshire, and Stony Brook are all taking part in the CCSU Mini-Meet in New Britain, Connecticut.
Women's Cross Country Notes
- Albany finished second in the UAlbany XC Invitational (5K) behind Middlebury, while the Binghamton Bearcats placed third.
- In the Princeton Invitational (6K), Stony Brook took fourth place; UMBC took the next notch for the America East at 11th, and the Hawks of Hartford landed in 28th. The leading performer for the Retrievers was Sophia Cologer with a 12th place finish at a 22:03 clip; Samantha Crisafull led Harford.
- Vermont took second in the Rothenberg Run (5K) in Providence, Rhode Island, led by Alicia Clark with a time fifth place finish at 17:42.67.
- In the latest USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Regional Cross Country Rankings,UMBC sits in 13th in the Mid-Atlantic Region. In the Northeast Region, New Hampshire stands in sixth, and Stony Brook remains in 13th.
- In the upcoming week, Hartford, UMass Lowell, New Hampshire, and Stony Brook will be taking part in the CCSU Mini-Meet in New Britain, Connecticut.
Weekly Awards
Sept. 9 – Men's Performer of the Week: Dan Moroney, Vermont; Women's Performer of the Week: Molly Pezzulo, Albany
Sept. 16 – Men's Performer of the Week: Hassan Omar, UMBC; Women's Performer of the Week: Alicia Clark, Vermont
Sept. 23 – Men’s Performer of the Week: Robert Allen, UMass Lowell; Women’s Performer of the Week: Silvia Del Fava, Albany
Sept. 30 – Men’s Performer of the Week: Eric Speakman, Stony Brook; Women’s Performer of the Week: Elinor Purrier, New Hampshire
Oct. 7 – Men’s Performer of the Week: Hassan Omar, UMBC; Women’s Performer of the Week: Silvia Del Fava, Albany
Oct. 14 – Men’s Performer of the Week: John Prizzi, New Hampshire; Women’s Performer of the Week: Elinor Purrier, New Hampshire
Oct. 21 – Men’s Performer of the Week: Eric Speakman, Stony Brook; Women’s Performer of the Week: Christina Melian, Stony Brook