D3 Cross Country Interregional Weekend Recap
Conn College Interregional Race
By Kendall Accetta
The cool, fall air at Harkness Memorial State Park set the stage for what would be a defining day of D3 cross country. With teams making their final push before championship season, the stakes were high and the performances didn't disappoint. Let's dive into how the weekend in Connecticut unfolded.
Men's Race
Team Battle
The men's Blue Race lived up to the pre-meet hype, with NYU backing up their favorite status and St. Olaf making their long trip from Minnesota more than worthwhile. The battle up front was fierce, with just 48 points separating the top three teams. NYU (80 points) showed why they were the top-ranked team in attendance, while St. Olaf (95) and Williams (127) proved they're ready for championship season. Let's break down how each squad fared on the historic Harkness Memorial State Park course.
No. 10 NYU (1st, 80 points) The Violets validated their position as the pre-meet favorites, displaying the same depth that impressed at John McNichols earlier this season. Their front pack proved devastating, led by three men in the top 15 (Ryan Tobin, 8th in 24:24.40; Jeffrey Chen, 12th in 24:35.60; Liam Hagerty, 13th in 24:36.10). A fourth scorer joined them soon after (Evan Sherman, 16th in 24:37.90) before their fifth sealed the victory in 31st.
The win wasn't just about placing - it was how they did it. Multiple personal bests and a dominant 27-second spread proved decisive. With their eyes now set on UAAs at Brandeis in two weeks, the Violets have proven they're not just conference title contenders - they're ready to challenge the nation's top 10 come November.
No. 16 St. Olaf (2nd, 95 points) The Oles finally ventured out of Minnesota, silencing any doubts about their ability to compete outside their home turf. Their powerhouse duo set the tone early, with Kevin Turlington claiming 7th (24:21.9) and Andrew Skemp securing 9th (24:26.5). Sean Hartney made it three Oles in the top-15 with a breakthrough performance of his own in 14th (24:36.9).
The depth proved just as impressive as their front runners, as all five scorers placed in the top 35 with personal bests and a sharp 32-second spread. By knocking off five higher-ranked teams, including No. 11 Tufts and No. 14 MIT, St. Olaf proved they're peaking at the perfect time. Their performance earned them a four-spot jump to No. 12 in the national rankings, and they've got everyone's attention heading into championship season.
No. 15 Williams (3rd, 128 points) The Ephs performance on Saturday made us all forget their early-season loss to RPI at Purple Valley. Chuckie Namiot led with a strong third-place showing (24:14.7), while their second and third runners cracked the top 25 (Rick Yanashita, 20th in24:40.1; Ryan Hardiman, 23rd in 24:46.0).
Williams' fourth and fifth runners closed well to help the team secure third place, proving the preview right about not counting them out. With their pack running improving and confidence building, the Ephs look ready to challenge at NESCACs.
No. 20 Amherst (4th, 134 points) Sophomore Harrison Dow led the Mammoths with a strong sixth-place finish (24:21.8), while Nick Edwards-Levin and Henry Dennen followed in 17th (24:38.4) and 19th (24:39.1). The front three's performance highlighted a day where the entire squad posted personal bests.
Their 55-second spread shows potential for improvement, but having the entire scoring five hit personal records suggests this team is trending up at the right time for championships.
No. 17 Middlebury (5th, 157 points) The Panthers showed their strength up front, with Drew Donahue taking 11th (24:30.0), Ziggy Goddard placing 20th (24:40.1), and Benjamin Hughes securing 22nd (24:42.8). Middlebury will be looking to reclaim a top 15 national ranking with a strong conference performance in two weeks.
Individual Race
Nathan Tassey - Roger Williams (1st, 24:05.3) The Roger Williams junior proved the preview right, validating his favorite status with a commanding win. After mixing it up with Grant Matthai at John McNichols earlier this season, Tassey showed he could control a race from the front. His victory suggests he's ready to contend for national honors in November.
*** We heard that Tassey had a rather unconventional race… here is D3 Glory Days Exclusive Quote™ from Tassey himeslef ***: “I came off the line very conservatively, maybe in between the front and middle of the pack which is right where everyone fell from crowding. Somebody stepped on my spike and it came halfway off my foot. Once I noticed this, I decided it would be worth it to take the time to move off all the way to the side of the course to put it back on which took a good 8-10 seconds to get back on, and it took me about 3 kilometers to make my way up to the front of the race”.
Anthony Rodriguez - Babson (2nd, 24:11.5) Rodriguez's meteoric rise continues. After taking sixth at Pre-Nats, the Babson senior backed it up with another breakthrough. His track credentials (29:43 10k, 14:18 5k) are translating perfectly to cross country, as he's transformed from not making nationals last year to a legitimate top-10 threat.
Chuckie Namiot - Williams (3rd, 24:14.7) The Williams senior proved he belongs among the nation's elite with a third-place showing at Conn College. After his impressive win at Keene State, Namiot backed it up against top competition, suggesting the track All-American in the 10k will be a force come championship season.
Nicholas Lyndaker - St. Lawrence (4th, 24:20.0) After being highlighted in the preview as one to watch, Lyndaker delivered. His fourth-place finish builds on a strong showing at Paul Short and establishes him as a serious contender for conference and regional titles.
Will Goddard - Bowdoin (5th, 24:20.8) Perhaps the surprise of the day came from Goddard. Not mentioned in pre-race predictions, the Bowdoin senior announced himself as a championship threat with a gutsy performance against a loaded field.
Women's Race
Team Battle
The women's Blue Race delivered everything cross country fans could hope for - breakthrough performances, tight pack running, and a battle that came down to the wire between national powerhouses. With just 23 points separating MIT (83), NYU (101), and Williams (106) at the top, and Washington & Lee pulling off an upset against seven higher-ranked teams, this meet set the stage for what promises to be an electric championship season. Let's break down how each team fared:
No. 1 MIT (1st, 83 points)
The Engineers showed exactly why they're ranked No. 1 in the nation, dominating with textbook pack running en route to victory. Junior Lexi Fernandez led the charge in 10th (21:25.30), matching her place from Pre-Nationals, while Liv Girand (13th, 21:34.0) and Christina Crow (16th, 21:36.8) gave MIT a very strong three in the top 16. The depth continued as Rujuta Sane (21st, 21:46.2) and Heather Jensen (23rd, 21:49.9) closed out the scoring five, all notching collegiate personal bests. Kate Sanderson, their Pre-Nationals hero, finished 27th (21:54.60) as their sixth runner, while freshman Ava Hartman (36th, 22:03.70) demonstrated the program's bright future.
The Engineers' championship-caliber performance left no doubts about their podium potential. Their tight 24-second spread between scorers and team average of 21:38 showcased the kind of pack running that wins national titles. Perhaps most impressive was their depth - even with Pre-Nationals hero Sanderson finishing as their sixth runner, MIT still dominated the field. That's the mark of a true national contender.
Up next? The Engineers will look to claim another title at the NEWMAC Championships, hosted by Wellesley College on November 2.
Come November, MIT will be right in the mix for some hardware.
No. 7 NYU (2nd, 101 points)
The Violets continue to seek out top competition, and this time it paid off with a runner-up finish by only 18 points. Janie Cooper's second-place personal best (21:00.40) led a day of breakthroughs, as their entire top five set lifetime bests. Josephine Dziedzic (11th, 21:32.40) and Kate Cochran (18th, 21:43.60) gave NYU a formidable front trio in the top 20. Lucy Gott (29th, 21:55.80) and Daniela Sekhar (42nd, 22:13.50) rounded out their scoring five.
While their 73-second spread suggests room for improvement, the return of Cochran after missing Paul Short signals this team is peaking at the right time. With NYU setting records across their lineup and showing a dominant pack mentality, all eyes will be on the Violets as they head to UAAs at Brandeis on November 2 where they'll look to convert these personal bests into a conference title.
No. 15 Williams (3rd, 106 points)
After flying under the radar early this season, the Ephs proved they shouldn't be counted out. Sophomore Tamar Byl-Brann led the charge with a breakthrough ninth-place finish (21:24), sparking a devastating pack attack. Three more Ephs cracked the top 25 - Kate Tuttle (20th, 21:45), Kate Swann (22nd, 21:48), and Nora Johnson (24th, 21:50).
Williams backed up their performance from Keene State with a statement race, showing they're a different team than the one that lost to RPI at Purple Valley earlier this season. With the NESCAC Championships at Bowdoin just two weeks away, the Ephs look ready to challenge Amherst and defend their conference crown.
No. 30 Washington & Lee (4th, 189 points)
The Generals delivered the surprise of the day, taking down seven higher-ranked teams in a performance that moved them up to 13th in our recent national rankings.The upset victory over powerhouse programs like No. 5 Amherst and No. 16 Middlebury was built on aggressive racing from the entire Washington & Lee lineup.
Junior Olivia Warr led the charge with a third-place finish (21:09.7), unleashing a devastating kick over the final 200 meters. The depth behind her was equally impressive. Cassie Carr charged from 63rd at the first checkpoint to finish 34th (22:01.7). Emma Mitchell (40th, 22:12.3) and Sophia Breschi (46th, 22:16.7) followed suit, each passing more than 25 runners during the race. The Generals certainly surprised us this weekend and their ability to move up throughout the race marks them as a team to watch this championship season.
No. 5 Amherst (5th, 211 points)
The Mammoths couldn't quite replicate their Paul Short magic, but their young talent continued to shine. First-year Flora Biro led the way with another stellar performance, taking fifth overall in a personal best 21:14.0. The rookie duo impressed as Hannah Stephenson claimed 39th (22:09.1), while senior Sylvan Wold provided veteran leadership in 43rd (22:13.6).
While fifth place might not have been what the fifth-ranked Mammoths were hoping for after their breakthrough at Paul Short, their young roster continues to develop. With the NESCAC Championships at Bowdoin just two weeks away, only time will tell if Amherst can bounce back and challenge Williams for the conference crown they're after.
Womens Individual Race
Audrey MacLean - Middlebury (1st, 20:44.60) The sophomore continued her dominant season with a commanding victory. With 1200m remaining, MacLean made her decisive move and never looked back. Her winning margin of 15.8 seconds and personal best time proved she's ready for the championship season ahead. After finishing 10th at nationals last year, MacLean has now secured a top-three finish in every race this season.
Janie Cooper - NYU (2nd, 21:00.40) After a strong showing at Paul Short, Cooper led a breakthrough day for the Violets with another impressive performance. Her runner-up finish came with a significant personal best, showing she's hitting peak form at the right time.
Olivia Warr - Washington & Lee (3rd, 21:09.7) Warr's tactical race showed championship-level poise. Sitting in sixth at the first checkpoint, she held position before unleashing a devastating kick in the final 200 meters to secure third place. The performance marks her as a surprise contender heading into November.
Haley Schoenegge - Vassar (4th, 21:13.4) The 1500m track champion continued her strong cross country campaign. After her impressive third-place showing at Paul Short, Schoenegge proved once again she can mix it up with the nation's best. Her track speed and growing confidence in cross country make her a threat for nationals.
Flora Biro - Amherst (5th, 21:14.0) The first-year sensation continues to impress, following up her ninth-place finish at Paul Short with another top-5 performance. Biro is proving she belongs among Division III's elite as she gains more 6K experience.
Closing Remarks:
The depth of talent on display at Harkness Memorial State Park this weekend proved why this meet has become such a crucial late-season test. I can't help but get excited thinking about what's next, as these teams head into their conference championships in just two weeks. With programs like St. Olaf and Washington & Lee making major jumps in the rankings, and traditional powers like MIT and Williams showing championship-caliber depth, November promises to bring the kind of racing that makes D3 cross country special.
Here are the full top-10 results from this weekend. We got you.
Men's Blue Race Individual Top 10
Nathan Tassey (Roger Williams) - 24:05.3
Anthony Rodriguez (Babson) - 24:11.5
Charles Namiot (Williams) - 24:14.7
Nicholas Lyndaker (St. Lawrence) - 24:20.0
Will Goddard (Bowdoin) - 24:20.8
Harrison Dow (Amherst) - 24:21.8
Kevin Turlington (St. Olaf) - 24:21.9
Ryan Tobin (NYU) - 24:24.4
Andrew Skemp (St. Olaf) - 24:26.5
Avi Bissoondial (WPI) - 24:28.3
Men's Blue Race Team Scores:
NYU (80)
St. Olaf (95)
Williams (128)
Amherst (134)
Middlebury (157)
Tufts (171)
MIT (190)
St. Lawrence (279)
Bates (323)
Bowdoin (323)
Women's Blue Race Team Scores:
MIT (83)
NYU (101)
Williams (106)
Washington and Lee (189)
Amherst (211)
St. Olaf (217)
Tufts (217)
Middlebury (249)
Connecticut College (254)
Vassar (265)
Women's Blue Race Individual Top 10
Audrey Maclean (Middlebury) - 20:44.6
Janie Cooper (NYU) - 21:00.4
Olivia Warr (Washington & Lee) - 21:09.7
Haley Schoenegge (Vassar) - 21:13.4
Flora Biro (Amherst) - 21:14.0
Rachel Brennan (Gordon) - 21:18.4
Claire Semerod (Coast Guard) - 21:22.8
Lauren Walda (St. Olaf) - 21:23.4
Tamar Byl-Brann (Williams) - 21:24.1
Lexi Fernandez (MIT) - 21:25.3
Augustana Interregional
By Stu Newstat
For the first since 2019, I was at a cross country meet and didn’t run a single step. I feel like an imposter saying that, but with how spectator friendly Augustana’s course was, I stayed in one general area and caught a lot of the action.
Before I dive into the recap, I want to give a big thank you to the Augustana coaching staff for having D3GD out in Rock Island. We had a blast the night before at the Not So Late Show. Shoutout to all the teams that attended and everyone who participated in the event. We’ll definitely be doing a live show again.
Now for the recap.
The women got the day started and I was very excited to watch Colorado College face off against Chicago. Colorado got the win against them early in the season, so how would Chicago fare? Evelyn Battleson-Gunkel was out of Chicago’s lineup at Pre Nationals and as the pack approached the first mile, it was clear they were without their star again.
Deyanneira Colon Maldonado of Aurora and Emma Odle of Augustana led the charge with 361 runners behind them. Watching in person allows you to witness team tactics and see how teams felt by their strategies. DePauw, UW-Stout, Calvin, and Colorado College had put themselves in good position early as they had to battle over 40 teams in the field.
We found WashU Coach Stiles at the 3k mark and asked him what his team strategy was. He filled us in that they wanted to have a conservative start and to finish strong over the back half of the race. He was standing at 3k reminding his athletes that this is where the race starts. They seemingly took that advice to heart as they went from 10th to 6th from the mile to the 3k mark.
The lead pack slimmed down to six with the DePauw duo of Sophie Porter and Lily Monnett just one second behind. Colorado College’s Isabel Olson moved from 23rd to ninth over the past 1400 meters and looked to join her teammate Sydney Rankin in the lead pack. The energy was high at the 3k mark as you heard coaches yelling words of encouragement and quickly checking live results.
After we walked back over to the finish line area, we saw the field pass us one last time before they headed for home. At this point Rankin passed us looking very strong and in position to take the win. As she was passing us, Olson moved around the pack and the Colorado College fans next to us loved it. The Tigers flew to Rock Island to make a statement and they were making one.
As we figured out if we were allowed in the finishing chute, Olson was sprinting to the finish. She had put a sizable gap on the rest of the field and as I got my phone into camera mode, I just caught Paige Anderson of Kalamazoo kick in for second.
As the massive field filled the finishing area, the live scores began trickling in. From the eye test, we knew Colorado College did well as they put three in the top 10 with Elliot Singer finishing 10th. Calvin and DePauw each put two inside the top 15, but would it be enough?
The big board read Colorado College as the champions with 56 points. They put five in the top 25 and made a big statement to the rest of the nation that they are for real. Catching up with them after the race, they were extremely excited with the results and echoed what they told us on the podcast. They run for each other and while the success is coming as a bit of a surprise, they are ready for it. A big question for me heading into the race was how their spread was going to fare. We saw the fire power up front at John McNichols but over a 65-second spread. They cut that spread to 55 seconds at Augustana. With a month until the national meet, Colorado is trending in the right direction.
WashU followed Coach Stiles’s plan perfectly as they moved from sixth to second in the last half of the race. They passed their UAA foes Chicago after Chicago took them down at the Pre National meet. A 24-second spread for WashU has to feel good heading into UAAs. After the race, Jillian Heth said the team is getting fitter and fitter each week which gets them excited for the postseason. Their racing strategy is to move up late in the race and that is following how they are faring in the rankings.
Chicago looks a little vulnerable without their star, Evelyn Battleson-Gunkel. Even if you plug her into the lineup, they are still a ways back from Colorado. If they can get her back by UAAs, that would be a big boost for them. Their spread is 28 seconds right now, which is great, but their current lead runner starts the scoring 15th. Chicago has the fire power and the national meet experience, however, to get back on track.
The surprise of the weekend goes to UW-Stout. They finished fourth with 175 points and led by Brekkyn Lammert’s 14th place finish. They came to Augie unranked and left ranked 14th (according to the D3 Glory Days rankings). They took down No. 10 DePauw and No. 11 Calvin. In a post race interview, Lammert said the team is fired up with this result and can’t wait to get to campus to keep training. Even with a 64-second spread, there are still a few reasons to buy into the UW-Stout hype. Their fifth, Olivia Donahue, ran 17:44 on the track, and their XC All American, Mckayla Felton was their third runner. Plus, rockin’ Hawaiian shirts pre-meet has to help overall vibes.
Paige Anderson of Kalamazoo, Deyanneira Colon Maldonado of Aurora, Peyton Steffen of Central College, and Sarah Scarborough of Otterbein are names to get familiar with heading into the postseason. They were the top individuals in the top 10 not on a ranked team.
Team Results
#2 Colorado College 56
#12 WashU 106
#3 UChicago 138
NR UW Stout 175
#11 Calvin 185
#10 DePauw 250
NR Trine 281
#29 Wartburg 293
#31 UW-Eau Claire 293
NR UW-Whitewater 295
Individual Results
Isabel Olson - Colorado College
Paige Anderson - Kalamazoo
Deyanneira Colon Maldonado - Aurora
Sydney Rankin - Colorado College
Peyton Steffen - Central College
Sarah Scarborough - Otterbein
Sophie Bull - Calvin
Jenna Allman - Calvin
Lily Monnett - DePauw
Elliot Singer - Colorado College
Men’s Recap
As the starter quieted the field before the gun, all that could be heard was “Wartburg slap down” and the sound of 12 men slapping their legs in anticipation of the start. The stage was set for a big time matchup between three top 10 teams: Wartburg, North Central, and UW-Whitewater. We saw Wartburg and NCC face off earlier this year and wanted to see where they stacked up against each other about a month later. Add in UWW’s second test of the year after Pre Nats and this was prime for entertainment.
Through the first mile the contenders made their way to the front. Teams were jockeying for position, but when the crowd saw the first split at 4:50, they were not impressed. “Only 4:50?” I heard. Wartbug came to play as they put their entire top five in the top 10. “Wow Wartburg going for it,” I told Noah as he held out a microphone trying to get ‘sounds of the first mile.’
At the 4k mark, Isaiah Hammerand of Wartburg decided to make a hard charge to the front and gapped the field by a good bit. He left behind talented All-Americans like Christian Patzka of UWW, Emerald Svienty of North Central, and Gunner Schlender of UWW. The feeling in the crowd was a mix of confidence and confusion. Could Hammerand hang on or would Patzka catch him? Wartburg’s dominant pack faltered just slightly. Instead of five in the top 10, they moved back to have their five in the top 20 but were running together. Schlender, Patzka, Isaac vanWestrienen of Cornell College, Cullen Capuano of WashU, and Will Shuflit of Colorado College made up the chase pack.
Through halfway Wartburg looked in control and something crazy would have had to have happened for them to blow that big of a lead with how strong they looked. At this point in the season, coaches can utilize different strategies. As we saw in the women’s race, WashU wanted to work their way up. It was clear Coach Ryan Chapman told his Knights to make their presence known. On a course like that, if you get out hard, it makes it difficult for teams to catch you.
As they went past the finish line for their final back loop, Hammerand was still in the lead, but Patzka had broken off to go catch him. Hammerand’s lead was dwindling, but it still felt like a lot of room to make up.
Coming down the finish line stretch, Patzka pumped his arms to get the support from the crowd, almost as if to say, he’s not going anywhere. He outstretched his arms after crossing the line. After being hurt for most of the summer and really having started to train when he got back on campus, you could tell this one was special. To top it all off, he was greeted with a hug from his parents and a high five from his niece.
As the harriers made their way across the line, one thing was certain: Wartburg dominated. Catching up with them after the race, they wanted to come and show the nation what they have going on in Waverly, Iowa. They’re keeping things loose and making sure everyone is having fun. They’ve felt tense at times, which has negatively affected their performance in the past.
North Central’s BJ Sorg spoke with Noah about the Cardinals’ performance. They were without their typical third runner, Matthew Jett. Sorg felt there are areas to improve upon and cut down on the gap between Wartburg. Overall, he thinks the Cardinals are in a good spot and they’re looking forward to the postseason.
Shoutout to North Central grads Connor Riss and Braden Nicholson as they finished fifth and tenth, respectively.
The WIAC showed up at Augie with Eau Claire bridging the gap to Whitewater by just six points. They were led by Mason Shea’s 12th place performance and held a 46-second spread. This makes the WIAC meet even deeper than it already was.
Staying in WIsconsin, the Dawgs of Stevens Point came in unranked and ended up beating Calvin, Stout, Loras, and UChicago, which were all ahead of them prior to the meet. They have a 37-second split and a nice 1-2 punch with Logan Murphy and Mateo Alvarado-Venegas.
Overall, Augie lived up to the hype. We had favorites doing well, upsets happening, and alums living out their glory days in the Gold race.
Team Results
#2 Wartburg 41
#4 North Central 144
#5 UW-Whitewater 160
#23 UW-Eau Claire 166
#18 WashU 182
NR Steven Point 222
#32 Loras 297
#19 Calvin 297
NR Augie 312
NR Hope 333
Individual Results
Christian Patzka - Whitewater
Isaiah Hammerand - Wartburg
Cullen Capuano - WashU
Gunner Schlender - Whitewater
Connor Riss - NCC Grad
Will Shuflit - Colorado College
Tyler Schermerhorn - Wartburg
BJ Sorg - North Central
Jacob Green - Wartburg
Braden Nicholson - NCC Grad
Lance Sobaski - Wartburg
Isaac vanWestrienen - Cornell College
Rowan Border Battle & Mike Woods Geneseo
By Emily Richards
Though a good majority of the country opted to either hang beachside in Connecticut or D3 Glory Days-side at Augustana, other nationally ranked teams stuck to their guns and got their taste of interregional rivalry at Rowan and SUNY Geneseo, two meets that are sometimes overlooked on interregional weekend, but are no less deserving of attention.
Both meets boasted some strong matchups: Emmanuel Leblond vs. Chasen Hunt in the men’s race at Rowan, Penelope Greene vs. Jules Bleskoski in the women’s race at Geneseo, and a head-to-head, three-way matchup between SUNY Geneseo, RPI, and Carnegie Mellon men at SUNY G after the three were separated into different races at Paul Short several weeks ago.
The best part about interregional weekend is, well, exactly that: it gives us a chance to see how teams from different regions fare against one another, provides the selection committee with valuable data when considering bids to nationals in a few short weeks, and gives teams the opportunity to prove their worth. Needless to say, a lot was on the line, and many rose to the challenge.
Rowan Border Battle
They don’t call this the Border Battle for nothing–for nine years, teams from all over the country have been assembling at the DREAM Park in New Jersey, just off of US Rte 130, three miles from the point at which the state lines of New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania converge somewhere under the Delaware River.
This year, South region team Lynchburg (men) and Mid-Atlantic program Johns Hopkins were the stars of the show. One of the most anticipated matchups of the weekend transpired between Lynchburg frontrunner Chasen Hunt and Johns Hopkins leader Emmanuel Leblond, who raced in different races at Paul Short two weekends ago. Hunt was the unrivaled winner of the all-D3 College White race, while Leblond was the fastest D3 finisher in the Gold race and the fastest D3 finisher of the whole day. I, for one, was super excited to see these two race head-to-head, and the results did not disappoint.
At the start, it was Haverford duo Peter LaRochelle and Reza Eshghi leading the way for the field through the first mile. As the race progressed, many fell back, including Eshghi, who left LaRochelle to battle it out up front with Hunt and Leblond, as the trio separated themselves from the rest of the field by mile three. Leblond left no doubts behind, and proceeded to prove to us why he was the fastest D3 finisher of the day at Paul Short when he ran away from the field, beating runner-up Hunt by 14 seconds and third place finisher LaRochelle by 26. With a win so dominant, we have to ask the question: are we sleeping on Leblond as a contender at nationals? My answer: probably.
His only D3 losses this year occurred at John McNichols to Nathan Tassey, Grant Matthai, and Isaac vanWestrienen, all competitors you can expect to see in the top at nationals, but something seemed to happen to Leblond between then and now. He’s running strong, he’s running confident, and he might just be running toward a top finish in the nation. His 29th place finish from last year is surely well in the rearview mirror.
Leblond’s victory over Hunt and LaRochelle at Rowan was impressive, especially since both of these athletes are on track to be All-Americans this year, and maybe even top-10 finishers. His team, No. 6 Johns Hopkins, unfortunately seemed to struggle a bit behind him. Two weeks ago, they beat RPI and Carnegie Mellon in the Paul Short Gold Race, but this week, they fell to third behind No. 12 Lynchburg and No. 24 Washington and Lee. They did, however, run without Lucas Rackers, their number two runner from Paul Short.
Washington and Lee had one of the most surprising finishes of the meet. Led by Robert Cooper, who placed fourth overall, the Generals proceeded to put three more of their athletes into the top 11 to tie with Johns Hopkins. It was these three athletes who helped W&L win the tiebreaker, as they each beat Hopkins’s second through fourth finishers to give W&L the majority of head-to-head individual wins.
Johns Hopkins women won the women’s race, sweeping first through fourth place. It can almost be assumed that they would have pulled off a clean sweep if they would have run Carter Brotherton, the top D3 finisher at Paul Short in the Gold race, but Brotherton appears to have sat out this weekend. Regardless, Hopkins’s fifth this weekend was still eighth overall, giving Hopkins a highly impressive 24-second spread. Such a tight pack could be lethal at the national level and reminds us that the Blue Jays simply cannot be counted out of contention come nationals.
Mike Woods Geneseo XC Invitational
Upstate New York, teams from several regions gathered at the 43rd annual Mike Woods Invitational for some friendly interregional competition, just 80 miles east of North America’s largest waterfall.
Most notably, national powerhouses RPI, SUNY Geneseo, and Carnegie Mellon, all of whom are in different regions, battled it out for glory after seeing each other in Pennsylvania at Paul Short two weeks prior. At Paul Short, SUNY Geneseo won the men’s College White race, while RPI and Carnegie Mellon finished behind Johns Hopkins in the Gold race, which is why a head-to-head matchup between these three schools was sure to be exciting.
Led through 1k by CMU’s Matthew Coyle, the Tartans were eager to establish an early dominance. Five of their athletes sat in the top 20, ready to defend every point they could. Brockport’s Jonathan Zavala lurked in second. By 3k, Geneseo’s Ryan Hagan had surged to the lead just ahead of Coyle, confident on his home course and with the motto “SUNYG Believe.” The Knights had now risen to second behind RPI, who held the lead at this early stage in the race.
At the crucial 5k mark, a new name took the lead: RPI’s Vince Simonetti was ready to try his hand at frontrunning and bring RPI home to victory. They would have a challenge ahead of them, however, as Geneseo had slowly crept into a four-point lead. Coyle and Hagan held on, separating from the chase pack behind them.
With 1k to go, Simonetti extended his lead over Coyle and Hagan, and now it was Geneseo who would stack their pack into the top 20, as six of their athletes now lurked there, in perfect striking distance to pull off their win, which was gradually increasing reflected by their score.
Simonetti poured it on in the final kilometer to take the win by 13 seconds. Behind him, Coyle hung on for second, followed by Hagan and his Geneseo teammate Alex Hillyard in third and fourth. The final team result?
SUNY Geneseo 41
RPI 54
Carnegie Mellon 80
John Carroll 115
After proving their strength at Paul Short, it was great to see Geneseo men back it up with a victory against powerhouses RPI and CMU. Sure, a little bit of home-court advantage may have played to their favor, but one thing is starting to become abundantly clear: SUNY Geneseo men will be a podium team in November.
On the women’s side, an exciting rematch unfolded between the same three teams: No. 8 RPI, No. 9 SUNY Geneseo, and No. 17 Carnegie Mellon.
Similarly to the men, CMU women were off to a hot start. They packed it up early, putting five of their runners into the top 12. The field was led by home favorite Penelope Greene, last year’s third-place XC All-American. Behind Greene, RPI’s Olivia Pisacano led the way for RPI, who was in third behind Geneseo.
By halfway, Greene was still the leader but a new challenger came forth in RPI’s Jules Bleskoski, the Paul Short White race individual champion, who beat Greene two weeks ago. The two would now work together toward the finish. In the team battle, Geneseo took control with CMU in second and John Carroll in third.
With 1k to go, Bleskoski, in a bout of confidence, took the lead from Greene, tasting another sweet victory on the tip of her tongue. Greene, however, held on, and the two continued to push away from the field, now leading by almost 30 seconds. The big three, Geneseo, RPI, and CMU, stepped back into contention for the team win. Greene refused to be beaten on her home course and charged hard toward the finish. She overtook Bleskoski and secured the win by five seconds.
Behind her, Greene’s teammates got the job done with all five scorers landing in the top 20, a feat that was strong enough to crown them champions. The final results were:
SUNY Geneseo 52
Carnegie Mellon 67
RPI 78
John Carroll 94
Carnegie Mellon had perhaps the most exciting finish of the race overtaking No. 8 RPI. Their hard start at the beginning seemed to pay off and helped them land four finishers within the top 15. They will certainly move up in the rankings and further solidify themselves as a team that not only deserves to be on the nationals start line, but is one to be reckoned with. Geneseo’s victory proves they return a strong squad this year and continue to have a strong low-stick in Greene, who should be a contender in November. The key to their success will be getting their second through fifth as close to each other and Greene as possible, as their 48-second spread from 2-5 and almost one-minute gap from 1-2 could be trouble.
Other notable results
Not everyone decided to travel out-of-region or even off campus this weekend. Men’s No. 1 UW-La Crosse and No. 3 Pomona-Pitzer stayed home, but not without putting on a show for their respective home crowds. Here are some other notable results from the weekend:
At La Crosse, Mohammed Bati beat UWL’s Grant Matthai by over 50 seconds to take the win. Though skirting under the radar somewhat up until now, Bati has given us no choice but to sound the alarms. He might just be the biggest threat to the individual title and we can’t let you think it’s coming out of nowhere. He will get a look at his biggest competition, Whitewater duo Gunner Schlender and Christian Patzka, at regionals in a few weeks just before facing them again at nationals.
UWL men won their home meet handily with a thirteen-second spread. MSOE, a team steadily garnering national attention, was second with 65 points to UWL’s 23.
No. 13 CMS women went 1-2-3 at Pomona-Pitzer to take the team win, 28-49 ahead of Pomona. They were led by standout Riley Capuano, who won by 13 seconds.
Pomona-Pitzer men narrowly beat CMS men at home, 30-34. It’s unclear if they were running at full-send, having posted a 40-second spread with most of their A-squad, excluding Quinn White. CMS athletes Adam Sage and Oliver Pick posted strong performances, placing second and fourth in front of and behind Pomona’s Cameron Hatler.
No. 6 Emory women also stayed closer to home this weekend, opting for the Upstate Invitational in South Carolina. Brigid Hanley won the 5k individual race in a time of 17:18, leading the charge on a 54-second split from the Eagles’ 1-5.
With interregional weekend having drawn to a close, it’s now time for everybody’s favorite part of the season: that sweet, sweet postseason. Conference meets are on deck. Be sure to follow D3 Glory Days for all the latest coverage.