Cross Country Blazes at Roberts

On an unseasonably warm day, the Alfred State men's cross country team stayed cool in the heat and registered their best performance of the 2017 season. The Pioneer men finished 6th overall out of 19 teams at the Roberts Wesleyan Harry Anderson Invitational. The women's team finished 12th on the 5k course. 

Jacob Hanss (East Rochester) led the Pioneer men in the 8k course. Hanss averaged 5:30 per mile as he finished 13th in 27:17.9. Shawn Rutledge (Watkins Glen) was 26th (27:59.1), Eric Hulbert (Mexico) was 53rd (29:01.2), Ryan Lohr (West Seneca) was 61st (29:19.8), and Austin Demberg (Westtown/Minisink Valley) rounded out the top five with a 70th place finish (29:40.2). All five of the Pioneer point scorers averaged under a six minute mile.

The Pioneers scored 188 on the day and only trailed event winner Gannon (45), Roberts Weselyan (52), Geneseo (65), Cortland (99), and St. Bonaventure (137). The blue & gold were 3rd out of the 10 NCAA DIII schools in the competition.

For the fourth straight race, Lindsey Thiel (Liverpool) was the top female finisher. She averaged 6:34 per mile over the 5k course to cross the finish line in 34th with a time of 20:24.1. Olivia Leonti (Port Byron) was 82nd (21:32.3), Katherine Frascella (Franklinville) was 114th (22:26.4), and Cassidy McCourt (Buffalo,/Emerson School of Hospitality) was 146th (23:45.9). Cassandra Ryan (Gloversville) rounded out the top five with a 150th place finish in 24:17.8.

Roberts Wesleyan was 1st with a score of 37 points in the women's race. The Pioneers were 12th (8th NCAA Division III school) with a score of 362. 198 competitors finished the course with 16 teams scoring in the event.

The Pioneers have next weekend off before heading to Houghton on October 7th for the Highlander Long Course Invitational.