NYU Invitational Results

With five runners finishing within the top eight, the New York University men's cross country easily outran a field of 10 at the 10th Annual NYU Invitational, which was held on Saturday, September 20, in Van Cortlandt Park in Riverdale, NY.  

Running a revamped 5,000-meter course at the fabled cross country mecca, head coach Nick McDonough's defending NCAA Division III National Champion squad won by a whopping 47 points (26-73) over second-place Vassar College.

DeSales University finished third with 78 points.

Leading the way for NYU was junior Zach Maher, who finished third overall in a time of 16:02.9. He was followed closed by a trio of Violets, as senior Mark Hess (16:05.0), freshman Jack Fitzhenry (16:08.6), and sophomore Sebastian Schwelm (16:15.8), finished 4-6, respectively.

Senior Geoffrey McGrane  (16:27.3, 8th place) and sophomore Matt Turlip (16:29.6, 9th place) also finished among the top-10.

"Right from the beginning we got toward the front, packed it up, and ran controlled into the last half-mile," McDonough explained. "With 1,000 meters to go the top five guys broke out and went to the front."

Nicholas Koiyet and Amos Kipkosgei of the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) both broke from the pack to finish 1-2 in the race.

Overall, NYIT  finished fourth in the race (103 points), while Stevens Institute of Technology rounded out the top five (145 points).

"It was also a great performance considering that we held out some of our top upperclassmen to get ready for next week," McDonough added.

The Violets, who finished second in their opening race at the Marist Invitational on Sept. 5, next compete at the Connecticut College Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 27.