ROCHESTER, NY - Utica University's men's cross country team raced in the Empire 8 Championship, with Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) finishing first overall. On top of Melita's event-best finish, four other Pioneers placed within the top 25 overall to produce a second overall team finish for Utica. The team will now look ahead to NCAA Regionals, which will take place two weekends from now.

Melita led the Pioneers with his 25:34.2 finish time. This pace was 24.2 seconds faster than the second overall runner. Tobias Jeralds (Canaan, NY/Chatham) was the second runner in orange and blue to cross the finish line, completing his race after 27:15.3. Killian Bauer (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherill), Anthony Leotta (Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollow Hills West), and Timothy Jeralds (Canaan, NY/Chatham Central) finished grouped together, as the three runners all finished within 3.5 seconds of Bauer's 23rd-overall 27:48.3 time.

In the team scoring, the Pioneers came in second out of 11 competing teams. SUNY Geneseo claimed the team win, with five of the six runners placing between 2nd and 7th overall representing the school. Utica added up to 72 points, 10 better than 3rd-place Houghton and 30 points better than 4th-place Brockport.

The team's next event is scheduled to be the NCAA Regionals. On Saturday, November 15th, teams will return to Rochester, NY, this time to visit the University of Rochester. Races are scheduled to begin at 10:00 am.