UTICA, NY - Utica University's men's cross country team traveled to Bethlehem, PA to compete in the 51st Paul Short Run, hosted by Lehigh University. The event, which featured eight different races, saw the Pioneers compete in the "white" race, placing 41st of 45 teams at the event. Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) was the highest-placing Pioneer, finishing with a time of 26:23.1, good for 169th overall in a field of 407 finishing runners. 

Utica placed 41st of 45 in the team scoring of the event, averaging a 27:10.7 finish time across the top five Pioneers. New York University won the team scoring, placing six runners inside the top-25.

Tobias Jeralds (Canaan, NY/Chatham) crossed the finish line second for the Pioneers, finishing 15.7 seconds behind Melita. Freshman Killian Bauer (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherill), junior Timothy Jeralds (Canaan, NY/Chatham Central), and sophomore Ben Bellinger (Sherrill, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) finished out the Pioneers' team scoring, with each finishing during the 28th minute. Bauer finished at 27:23.0, followed by Jeralds' 27:30.3 finish and Bellinger's 27:58.3 time.

Utica cross country's next event will see them return to Hamilton College for their second of three events there this fall. Races are set to begin at 12:00 pm on Saturday, October 11th, at the Hamilton Cross Country Course in Clinton, NY.