LAKEWOOD, NJ (Sept. 3, 2026) - The 2026 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Cross Country Championship Meet will be hosted this year by Georgian Court University. But before we get to the end of the season, we start at the beginning with a preview of the championship race on the course in Lakewood, NJ.
When
Friday, Sept. 4
Women's Race - 2 pm
Men's Race - 2:45 pm
Where
Lakewood, NJ - Ocean County Park
Distance
Men - 6K
Women - 4K
Returning for Georgian Court
• A year ago, the GCU men took a fourth place finish at the CACC Championship meet.
• They bring back three of their five scorers, and five of their seven competitors.
•
Ryan Pettrow was All-CACC with an eighth place finish and
Zachary Spoonire was in the top-20 finishing 17th.
•
Luke McCormick,
Stephen Lane and
Colin Broadbelt round out the group of returners on the men's side.
• The women also had a strong showing at the conference meet with a fifth place finish.
• They were led by freshman
Sophia Mauro who finished in ninth place.
•
Nora Sprunger was the third Lion to cross the line last year. She too is back for her sophomore season.
Meet the Newbies
• The women have brought in freshmen
Azucena Martinez-Panesso and
Dori O'Halloran to round out the roster.
• Men's XC also added two freshmen in
Emmanuel Marin and
Richard Riopel.
• The men also get a boost in track and field athlete
Abdul Brown joining the team for this season.
Track Carry-Over
• Georgian Court won big at the 2026 Outdoor Track and Field Championship meet.
• Both the men's and women's team took first place at the meet.
• On the men's side,
Ryan Pettrow,
Stephen Lane and
Zachary Spoonire all scored on the track to help GCU win the trophy.
• Both women's returners,
Sophia Mauro and
Nora Sprunger, scored on the track as well.
About the Meet
• This is the first cross country meet Georgian Court has hosted.
• The course will consist mainly of grass with limited asphalt pathways.
• It's a spectator friendly course with multiple ~2,000m loops.
