Men's Cross Country | 10/28/2023 8:07:44 AM
VICTOR, NY – Houghton University used a dominant team performance to win its first Empire 8 Cross Country title in program history, as the Highlanders emerged victorious at the 2023 Empire 8 Men’s Cross Country Championship at Parkview Fairways hosted by Nazareth University on Saturday, October 28. Utica University first-year standout Bennett Melita won the individual title, recording a blistering time of 24:54.0 over the 8,000-meter course. It was the fastest E8 Championship time in the league's 25-year history.
The Highlanders had the third, fourth and fifth place finishers and five of the first 10 runners to cross the finish line to win the team title with a score of 31 points. Host Nazareth University, the reigning three-time defending E8 Champions, finished second with a team score of 44 points, while Utica placed third with 70 points, one point ahead of St. John Fisher University. Alfred University finished fifth with 152 points, while Hartwick College rounded out the team scoring with 178 points.
Melita was in control throughout, building an insurmountable lead while cruising to the finish line nearly 13 seconds ahead of the field in a time of 24:54.0 and a 5:01 mile rate. Cade Eells of Nazareth garnered his second straight top-five finish, placing second overall in a time of 25:06.7.
Houghton's depth would reign supreme, as Caleb Kasper, Zachary Tucker and Amos Bixler claimed the next three spots. Kasper garnered his second straight top-five finish, placing third in 25:17.7, while Tucker was fourth in 25:28.2 and Bixler placed fifth in 25:29.8. Sam Lyon and James Eustace helped secure the team title by placing ninth and tenth overall, respectively.
St. John Fisher senior Ethan Billings, the defending Empire 8 Champion, placed sixth overall in a time of 25:41, while Nazareth's Ethan Kenyon earned All-E8 first-team accolades, placing seventh in 25:59.4. Nathan Bowers of Nazareth garnered his fifth All-Empire 8 honor, finishing eighth overall in a time of 26:00.8.
The All-Conference selections will be announced in November. Runners who finished first through seventh will be All-E8 first team selections, while runners who finished 8-14 are second team selections and the 15th-21st place finishers will be third team selections.
Runners will be action on November 11 at the NCAA Atlantic Region Championships at Field of Dreams Park hosted by Houghton University in Houghton, NY
2023 Empire 8 Men's Cross Country Championship Results
Houghton - 31 (Team Champion)
Nazareth - 44
Utica - 70
St. John Fisher - 71
Alfred - 152
Hartwick - 178
2023 Empire 8 Men's Cross Country Individual Champion/Most Outstanding Runner
Bennett Melita, Fr., Utica - 24:54.0
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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