Men's Cross Country | 11/2/2024 1:37:48 PM
HOUGHTON, NY – SUNY Geneseo, ranked fifth in the latest United States Track & Field and Cross Country Division III national poll, used a dominant team performance to win its first Empire 8 Cross Country title as a league member, as the Knights emerged victorious at the 2024 Empire 8 Men’s Cross Country Championship at Field of Dreams Park hosted by Houghton University on Saturday, Nov. 2. Geneseo junior Ryan Hagan won the individual title, recording a blistering time of 24:10.2 over the 8,000-meter course. It was the fastest E8 Championship time in the league's 26-year history.
The Knights had the first, second and fourth place finishers and seven of the first 10 runners to cross the finish line to win the team title with a score of 20 points to claim its tenth straight league title (nine SUNYAC, one E8). SUNY Brockport, also making its Empire 8 Championship debut, finished second with a team score of 50 points, while defending champion and host Houghton placed third with 103 points, one point ahead of Nazareth University. Utica University finished fifth with 136 points, while Alfred University, Hartwick College, SUNY Poly and Keuka College rounded out the team scoring.
Hagan broke away from a tight pack late to pull away from teammate Charlie Wilson to win by just under three seconds in the E8 Championship record time of 24:10.2. Wilson recorded a time of 24:13.0. SUNY Brockport senior Jonathan Zavala placed third overall in a time of 24:18.6, while Austin Schoen of Geneseo was fourth, completing the race in 24:22.3.
Defending Empire 8 individual champion Bennett Melita of Utica University finished fifth overall in a time of 24:28.9, which was 25 seconds faster than his E8 record-setting in winning the race last season.
The Geneseo quartet of senior Alex Hillyard, sophomore Pierce Young, senior William Hall and sophomore Emerson Comer rounded out the All-E8 first team selections, placing sixth through ninth overall, respectively.
The All-Conference selections will be announced by the league in November. Runners who finished first through ninth will be All-E8 first team selections, while runners who finished 10-18 are second team selections and the 19th-27th place finishers will be third team selections.
Runners will be action at 12 p.m. on November 16 at the NCAA Atlantic Region Championships from Fredonia State University
2024 Empire 8 Men's Cross Country Championship Results
SUNY Geneseo – 20 (Team Champion)
SUNY Brockport – 50
Houghton – 103
Nazareth – 104
Utica – 136
St. John Fisher – 153
Alfred – 212
Hartwick – 275
SUNY Poly – 278
Keuka – 314
Russell Sage non-scoring
2024 Empire 8 Men's Cross Country Individual Champion/Most Outstanding Runner
Ryan Hagan, Jr., SUNY Geneseo - 24:10.2
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
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