BETHPAGE, N.Y. (Nov. 19, 2022) - Georgian Court Cross Country finished their season Saturday afternoon at the NCAA Division II East Region Championship. The men finished 17th out of 21 teams. The women sent only three to compete, and did not qualify for team scoring.

The Lion men made a strong push for the CACC Conference Championship three weeks ago, which proved fruitful as they won their first ever conference title. They knew following CACC, they may not be at full strength for the regional, which they weren't, as Xavier Seals was unable to compete. 

For the first time this season, the GCU men were running a 10K race. They were competing against not just teams from the CACC, but from the Northeast-10 and ECC as well. The top three teams all automatically qualify for the NCAA Championship, as well as a certain number of individuals, not on qualifying teams.

Through the first half of the race, Kyle Spector and Alec Valle were running with each other. They crossed the 5K mark in just about 17 minutes. The two remained together for more than five miles until Valle started to pulled away. Valle finished strong, dropping down to a 5:02 pace over the final 1.3K and moved up five spots in the top-50 as he finished 48th in 33:56.10. Spector wasn't far behind in 56th place, running 34:16. 

With his time of 33:56.10, Valle becomes the first Lion to ever run sub-34 minutes for a 10K race and has the fastest GCU time ever at an NCAA Regional Championship event. 

Kevin Knoetig, who was a big help to the Lions winning the CACC Championship, continued his fine end to his season. He was also in the top-100, finishing 98th in 35:28.7. 

A graduate student and a true freshman were working together. William Spector and Joseph Jamolawicz finished just one second apart in 36:07 and 36:08 for 106 and 107th place. Thomas Rosky was the Lions final finisher. He ran 36:39.40 and placed 120th. 

Southern Connecticut State, Franklin Pierce and Roberts Wesleyan all earned the automatic qualifying bids to the National Championship meet. SCSU won the meet scoring 53 points. There was an outstanding battle for third place where Roberts Wesleyan just snuck in over American International by one point, 100 to 101. Through 8.7K, those two teams were tied among their top-five scorers and halfway through the race, it was American International who was holding onto third by 21 points over Roberts Wesleyan. 

Wondu Summa from Franklin Pierce was the individual champion. He ran 31:27.70, winning by 13.5 seconds among a field of 146.

Georgian Court sent just three women to compete in the 6K race, not enough to qualify for team scoring. Brenna Sullivan was the Lions top-finisher. She ran 25:39.8 and was in the top-100 in 88th place. It was her second time going below 26 minutes for a 6K this season.

Amirah Beasley finished her cross country season placing 107th and running 26:45.7. Selma Cazimoska was in 128th after completing the course in 28:17.5. 

Southern New Hampshire won the team championship scoring 52 points. They earned an automatic bid along with Roberts Wesleyan and Daemen. SNHU's Ashley Corcoran was the individual winner. She broke the tape in 21:55.4, beating a field of 144.