Results: ECAC | IC4A
RIVERDALE, NY – On Saturday, the Manhattan College men's and women's cross country teams concluded the season with the ECAC/IC4A Championships at Van Cortlandt Park. The Jasper men competed in the Championship section of the IC4A Championships and took fifth place as a team. The women's squad, meanwhile, placed fifth in the University section of the ECAC Championships.
Lisa Fajardo (Brooklyn, NY) ran 5000 meters in 18:46 to place third in the women's race, the best finish by a Manhattan woman since Kristen Cerasi was second in 2001. Alexa Roda (Staten Island, NY) was the next Jasper across the line. She ended up 17th in a time of 19:16, while Kaitlyn Smith (Effort, PA) grabbed 18th place in 19:17. Kelly Gorman's (South Amboy, NJ) 19:37 clocking was good for 37th place, and Erin Spadaccini (Wilmington, DE) grabbed 56th in 19:59.
With 131 points, Manhattan was fifth out of 18 teams. The fifth-place showing equaled the Jaspers' best effort as a team since 2001. Monmouth won the team title with 108 points, while the individual winner was Northeastern's Jordan O'Dea (18:22).
This marked the first time since 2004 that the men's team took part in the Championship section. Manhattan collected 134 points, one behind fourth-place La Salle. Columbia had the top three finsihers and easily won the men's Championship section with 21 points.
The Jaspers' top finisher on the men's side was Jan Hoffmann (Tubeingen, Germany), who placed seventh after completing the 8000-meter course in 26:03. Nick Matson (Clifton Park, NY) took 26th in 26:50, while Amir Khaghani (Bethesda, MD) ended up 32nd with a 26:57 clocking. John Dove (Monroe, NY) grabbed 34th place in 26:59, and he was followed closely by Drew Reda (Matawan, NJ) (36th, 27:03) and Icen Tyrell Bonner (Everett, WA) (37th, 27:11).
Manhattan also fielded a full squad in the Coaches' Race for both men and women. The Coaches' Race is for any additional entrants a team may have beyond those in the Championship/University section. Victoria Cruz (West Nyack, NY) was the top Jasper in the women's Coaches' Race. She took fourth overall in 21:13. Liam O'Brien (Clifton Park, NY), meanwhile, secured 12th place in the men's Coaches' Race with a time of 28:50.
With the cross country season now complete, the Jaspers will turn their attention to the indoor campaign. Manhattan's first indoor meet will be at Army West Point on Saturday, Dec. 3.
