With the Cross Country season off and running, The University of Hartford men’s and women’s cross country teams each opened the 2015 fall season with a fifth-place finish at the Stony Brook Season Opener in Stony Brook, N.Y.
Senior Christopher Helminski took eighth place in the men’s race, while senior Sara Buckley came in ninth on the women’s side.
“It was a good day for Hartford Cross Country, starting the season off on a positive note,” head coach Roger Busch said. “We didn’t set any records, but the kids we expected to do well on both sides did well, and our top people both finished top-10.
Having a plan and executing it was a great experience, and the kids were excited with their results.
We obviously have some work to do, but I think the 2015 campaign will be a good one.”
Helminski led the men’s squad, finishing in a time of 19:04.76 in the men’s 6K race. Sophomore Hunter Jackman followed with a 22-place finish in 19:28.23, while junior Rourk Marlow came in 31st at 19:48.11. Evan Jaworski (34, 19:58.80) and Kyle Hamel (36, 20:02.94) rounded out the scorers for the Hawks, while freshman Willy Pierce (47, 20:34.84), sophomore Aedan Hale (49, 20:36.12), freshman Tim Fitzgerald (51, 21:02.60) and sophomore Lawrence Yancey (55, 21:34.57) also competed for Hartford.
Buckley came across the line in 15:21.50 in the women’s 4K run to earn a top-10 finish for the Hawks.
Sophomore Carly Schuyler placed 18th for the Hawks in a time of 15:41.94, while freshman Julianna Wesley (30, 16:05.28), junior Mikela Freeman (33, 16:14.97) and sophomore Ellie Donlon (36, 16:27.27) finished in the Hawks’ top five. Junior Melissa Cummings (43, 16:37.97), sophomore Heather Hasset (16:56.14), freshman Allie Tedeschi (55, 17:05.26), freshman Kaeli Baker (59, 17:19.40) and junior Rachel Brown (60, 17:30.97) rounded out the competitors for the Hawks.
Host Stony Brook won the men’s title with a total of 50 total points, narrowly edging fellow America East competitor UMass Lowell’s 54. Sacred Heart took third at 65, with Quinnipiac in fourth (85) followed by the Hawks (118). Central Connecticut State placed sixth at 147.
On the women’s side, it was Sacred Heart leading the way with 45 points, just ahead of SBU at 52 and UML at 53. Quinnipiac’s 92 was good for fourth followed by the Hawks at 112 and CCSU at 169.
The Hawks will return to the course next weekend for a matchup at Trinity College right down the road from UHart. The race is slated for Saturday in Hartford.