Payne's School-Record Performance Lands Him Empire 8 Runner of the Week Honors
Junior Morgan Payne of the Utica College men’s cross country team was named the Empire 8 Conference Runner of the Week on Monday afternoon. Payne posted a school-record time of 25:54.73 in the men’s 8K as he led the Pioneers to a sixth place finish at the NYSCTC Cross Country Invitational, hosted by Nazareth College at Centre Park in Fairport, NY on Saturday.
Payne finished the race in second place, just ten seconds behind the winner, Sam Rakoc, of St. Lawrence University. He was the top Empire 8 finisher competing against two nationally ranked teams, University of Rochester and St. Lawrence, in a race that featured 143 participants.
The Pioneers return to the course on Saturday when they travel to Saratoga, NY to compete in the Empire 8 Conference Championships at Saratoga Springs State Park. Last year the Pioneers placed third overall at the E8 Championships on the same course in Saratoga.