MARCY, NY - The Utica College men's and women's cross country teams competed in their highly anticipated Fall 2021 season opener on Saturday, as the Pioneers competed at the SUNY Poly Short Course Invitational in Marcy.

The UC women ran to a fourth place finish in the team competition with a total of 85 points. The UC men were sixth with 152 points.

Both youth and experience were served as the Pioneer women competed at a distance of four kilometers. Freshman Jade Dening (Remsen, NY/Remsen) turned in Utica's top performance of the day as she ran to an ninth place finish in a time of 18:27. She averaged a 7:05 mile. Graduate student Kristin Daino (Johnson City, NY/Maine-Endwell) was the second Pioneer across the line, and averaged a 7:07 mile en route to a 10th place finish in 18:32.

Returning runner Sarah Sharpe (New York Mills, NY/New York Mills) was the team's third, with a 21st place finish at a time of 19:41. Laura Levi (Inlet, NY/Town of Webb) was 30th and recorded 22 points towards the team score with a time of 20:57. Rounding out the UC scoring lineup was transfer student Brieann Lohmann (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham), who finished 42nd with a performance of 23 minutes. Freshmen Emma Zacharewicz (Round Lake, NY/Saratoga Central Catholic) and Madison Davis (Hastings, NY/Central Square) were 45th and 46th in their debuts.

Leading Utica's men to their sixth place finish was transfer student Michael Roberts. Roberts was fifteenth in a time of 21:18. Returning sophomore Hayden Lohmann was Utica's second runner and was nineteenth with a clocking of 21:29 for six kilometers. Newcomer Tristan Vargo was the third man across the line for Utica, with a time of 24:55 to place 44th. Brian Glantz was Utica's fourth scorer with a time of 28:06. Kyler Ford came through fifth for the team as he covered the distance in 29:37.

The Pioneers return to the course on Saturday, September 11th at Vermont Tech.