GLASSBORO, NJ - Utica University's men's cross country traveled to New Jersey to compete in the Rowan Border Battle. The event was hosted at DREAM Park in Glassboro, NJ. Utica had two sub-26:00 runners, with the final team scorer ending with a time of 27:05.4. The Pioneers placed 11th as a team in a field of 35 competing schools and 327 total individual runners. 

Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) returned to action this week, leading the Pioneers with his 32nd overall finish time of 25:28.7. Tobias Jeralds (Canaan, NY/Chatham) followed Melita with a 55th-best time of 25:51.4. Killian Bauer (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherill) and Timothy Jeralds (Canaan, NY/Chatham Central) each turned in sub-27:00 times, completing their races after 26:30.1 and 26:40.6, respectively. Anthony Leotta (Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollow Hills West) completed Utica's team scoring, placing 145th overall after 27:05.4 on the course. Haverford College's Micah Lachman won the race with his finish of 24:28.8. 

Utica placed 11th overall with their 416 points as a team. In team scoring, Utica had three top-100 placers, with each of the top five placing inside the top 128. Carnegie Mellon University handily won the team scoring, ending with 67 points, 77 more than second-best Swarthmore College. 

The squad returns to action next weekend on Saturday, October 25th, when they travel to Hamilton College for the third and final time this season. The event, scheduled for 11:45 am, will take place on a shorter course, serving as a tune-up ahead of the postseason. The Hamilton event will conclude the cross country regular season, as the Empire 8 Championships will occur the following weekend.