Men's Cross Country | 11/23/2024 5:52:00 PM
TERRE HAUTE, IN - The Geneseo Men's Cross Country team took sixth place at the 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championships from LaVern Gibson Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, IN on Saturday, Nov. 23. Seniors
Alex Hillyard and
Charlie Wilson both led the way for the Knights, finishing in 17th place and 31st place overall, both securing All-American honors. Overall, the Empire 8 had 11 runners compete on Saturday.
Geneseo had a great outing among the tough competition this year. Alex Hillyard secured a 17th place victory and All-American distinction with a time of 24:27.4 over the 8,000-meter course. Chalie Wilson finished close behind at 24:34.9, taking 31st overall and was also awarded All-American honors. Teammates Pierce Young (24:58.4), Ryan Hagan (25:04.5) and Austin Schoen (25:09.3) finished strong and secured a place in the top-100. Will Hall (25:26.0) and Emerson Comer (25:32.9) rounded out the top-seven for the Knights.
Hillyard and Wilson became the first two Empire 8 student-athletes to earn NCAA All-American honors since William Way of Ithaca College finished 25th in 2010.
SUNY Brockport had three student-athletes,
Jonathan Zavala,
Charlie Alekson, and
Patrick Klinger compete. Zavala was 137th overall in a time of 25:25.1, while Alekzon placed 165th in 25:34.1, while Klinger was 215th overall.
Utica standout
Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda Fultonville) placed 164th in his NCAA Championship debut, clocking in with a time of 25:34.0, Melita has etched himself into the Pioneer history books with the highest finish for Utica ever at a national meet.
The Knights earned their seventh top-ten finish since 2015 after an impressive performance all season. The Knights captured their first Empire 8 Championship and took second place at the Niagara Regional Championships.
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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