Women Step Up in Distance at Houghton
SUNY Erie cross country continued the 2023 season at the Highlander Invitational hosted by Houghton University. The Kats join a competitive field of 17 institutions from the NJCAA and NCAA.
In the men's 8k race, Erie took advantage of excellent conditions, with four runners earning personal best times of over one minute. Sam May led the way for the Kats and was the 6th NJCAA finisher in 120th place with a time of 31:03. Aidan Terrill was second for the Kats (142nd place, 37:42), shortly followed by his brother Brendan Terrill (143rd, 38:00). Eugene Bush won a tight battle at the finish line to secure 145th place in 38:10. Chad Kapturowski was on his way to a break-through race until he was part of a group of runners sent the wrong direction way at an intersection, causing him to run an extra loop of the park. He ultimately finished in 149th place in 48:04. The men placed 11th in the team scoring (minimum of five finishers).
The women's race at the Highlander Invitational was 6 kilometers, which is the NCAA championship distance. The Erie women adjusted well to the longer race. Sonya Krezmien finished 59th place in 26:53. Mads Baird recorded 77th place in 30:57. Plamedi Mutombo finished 88th place in 49:35. All three Kats crossed the 5k mark in the race close to or under their season-best 5k times, with still another kilometer to go in the race.
"This is a very competitive meet on a championship-caliber course. We also had great weather, so it was a perfect day to run fast, and that's what we did," commented Head Coach Chris Muldoon. "I loved watching the men compete and fight for every place. The women were up to the challenge of the longer distance, which will only make us stronger for our upcoming championship meets."
Next up for the Kats is the Cross Country Only Championships (CCOC) hosted by William Smith College on Saturday, October 14.