RIT Defends Empire 8 Men’s Cross Country Title on Sunday
Rochester Institute of Technology will defend its men’s cross country conference championship at the Empire 8 Cross Country Championships at Saratoga Springs on Sunday. The race will be the first stand-alone cross country championship in Empire 8 history.
The Tigers, who will be seeking their fifth title in the past six years, graduated four of their seven runners from last year’s championship, all of whom received first- or second-team all-conference recognition. Senior Zach Miller finished fifth in the 2009 championship to gain first-team honors. Senior Nick Lowe and junior Mike Kurvach each garnered second-team accolades last year. Miller and Kurvach have each been named Empire 8 Runner of the Week this fall.
Nationally ranked Ithaca College looks to regain the championship it has won three times, including in 2008. The Bombers have been led most of the season by three-time Empire 8 Runner of the Week William Way. Junior Dan Craighead, who was named the conference’s top runner this week, placed fourth at last year’s championship and is the top returning runner from that race. Seniors John Davis (first team) and Tyler Gustafson (second team) return after running to all-conference honors last season.
Junior Brian Stevens has been the top Utica College runner all season, finishing first for the Pioneers in every race this season, including last weekend’s state meet.
Senior Matt Morales of Nazareth College was named Empire 8 Runner of the Week this fall when he won the Nazareth Short-Course Invitational by 26 seconds.
Freshmen Andrew Turnage and Michael Cahill led a balanced Stevens Institute of Technology squad to the Highlander Invitational team title.
Junior Ken Noll was the top Alfred University finisher in the state meet. Sophomore John Stuligross of Hartwick has posted four top-ten finishes this year.