UTICA, NY - Utica University's men's cross country team continued its season by competing in the Hamilton Short Course Invitational. Racing on a 5,000-meter course, Utica saw one top-10 finish en route to a fourth-place team finish. The team will return to Hamilton two more times this fall.

The Pioneers had 16 runners compete in the field of 112. Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) led the pack for Utica, finishing seventh overall with a time of 15:28.3. Tobias Jeralds (Canaan, NY/Chatham) placed 19th with a 15:58.8 as the only other Pioneer with a sub-16-minute finish time. Anthony Leotta (Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollow Hills West), Timothy Jeralds (Canaan, NY/Chatham Central), and Killian Bauer (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherill) rounded out the team scoring for Utica, placing 39th, 40th, and 48th overall, each finishing within five seconds of the 16:30 mark. No other Utica runners placed in the top 60, with all but two finishing in the top 100.

St. Lawrence placed first in the team scoring of the event, with each of the top three finishers representing the Saints. Roberts Wesleyan and Hamilton each placed ahead of Utica. The final four team placements were made up by Houghton, Nazareth, St. John Fisher, and SUNY Cobleskill.

The team will lace up again next Saturday, September 20th, when they travel to the University of Rochester to compete in the Yellowjacket Invitational. The race is set to begin at 10 am at Genesee Valley Park in Rochester, NY.