ROCHESTER, NY -- The men's cross country team traveled to St. John Fisher University on Saturday to compete in the Empire 8 Cross Country Championships. Eleven teams and one hundred and eighteen runners toed the line on a cool and cloudy morning. The course conditions were good, albeit the course itself is a challenging 2,000m loop. Over the course of the regular season, the Highlanders had beaten most of the Empire 8 teams head to head, except national powerhouse SUNY Geneseo and Utica University. The regular season races against Utica, Brockport, and Nazareth were very narrow, decided by single digits in both the wins and the loss. The Highlanders would push Utica hard in the second half of the race, but ultimately finished in 3rd place, by only 10 points.
Utica would get out very hard in the race, and at 2,000m into the race hold a 70 to 93 lead against the Highlanders. A lead that the men would chip away at, until ultimately running out of grass. By only the next loop, the Highlanders would be within 5 points of Utica, and then 9 points at the 6,000m mark. The lead over 4th place SUNY Brockport would stay at 20+ points through most of the race.
Amos Bixler would lead the Highlanders with a 3rd place overall finish, a huge improvement from his 20th place finish in 2024.
Ben Allen came in at 10th place, just one spot out of 1st Team All-Conference.
Luke Ellis had a huge run in 19th place,
Henry Sardina was one spot out of all-conference in 28th, and
Salim Ford rounded out the top 5 for the Highlanders in 36th.
COACHES CORNER
"I really like how the men ran this race. I do think by 2,000m we were right where we needed to be to have a shot at 2nd place, just 5 points away. I give Utica a lot of credit for holding their position on a course like this. This course is pretty brutal, and by loop four it's a war of attrition for everyone in the race. Our top four, especially, looked really strong, and put us in great position. I was also impressed with how Freshmen
Evan Geer and Jack Wolhgemuth handled the hills and pushed up towards our top 6. They have a bright future. It's funny, because we held off some really good teams to take third place, and we are proud of that. But the competitor in you knows 2nd was right there for the taking. These types of battles are fun, and the consistency of this team over the years is really one of the most impressive things about this group, and a strong testament to our leaders."
The men will toe the line at the NCAA Niagara Regional Championships at Genessee Valley Park in Rochester on 11/15. The top 7 runners will qualify to compete in this race.
