DURHAM, N.H. – Historic was the operative word to describe the 2020-21 America East Cross Country Championships. On top of being held in the spring, the event also featured a number of firsts.
UMass Lowell swept the championships as the River Hawks won their first women’s cross country championship in program history. Emily Mackay became the first Binghamton student-athlete to win the race, edging out UMass Lowell’s Kaley Richards in the closing inches. Both earned All-America honors at NCAA Championships and both have returned to run in the #AEXC Championship on Friday.
As the conference meet returns to fall, the previous two men's winners embark on another quest for victory. Reigning individual champion Kyle Cloutier became the fourth consecutive River Hawk to win the conference meet, following Chris Alfond from 2019. The River Hawks are vying for back-to-back team titles and three in four years after taking the top-three spots in the men's 8K last spring. Gary Gardner’s squad is just the fourth #AEXC program to win three men’s championships behind Boston University, New Hampshire and Stony Brook.
Binghamton swept the pre-conference meet at the University of New Hampshire last month which featured seven of the ten America East programs running the championship course. Nine of the top ten finishers from last year’s women’s race have returned for this season.
The gun goes off for the women’s 5K at noon on Friday followed by the men’s 8K at 1 p.m. Visit #AEXC Championship Central for full details including course maps and record book. Watch live on AmericaEast.tv and follow @AmericaEast on Twitter and Instagram as well as @AEDigitalNet on Twitter for even more coverage.
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