RECAP: Cross Country Squads Post Numerous PRs at Hopkinton XC Festival

HOPKINTON, N.H. – Competing for the first time in nearly a month, the University of Bridgeport's men's and women's cross country teams took part in the Hopkinton XC Festival on Friday in Hopkinton N.H. The men's team finished in seventh place with 225 total points while the women ended up in eighth with 224 points.

MEN'S RECAP (8K)
The Purple Knights turned in several standout performances against a field of 14 other schools and 124 total runners.

Toby Middleton led the way with a fifth-place effort that featured a school-record time of 25:36.46. The senior served as the second-fastest collegiate finisher, crossing the line less than a second behind Babson's Nick Yacoub.

Sophomore Edoardo Vandelli followed his British teammate with a personal-best time of 27:02.47 to finish in 38th.

Freshman Alex Sanchez also posted a PR, clocking in at 28:37.01 to take 69th place.

Rounding out the Purple Knights' scorers was Austin Wagoner crossing in 36:16.24 for 109^th and Jackson Sanders finishing in 45:58.89 for 120th.

WOMEN'S RECAP (5K)
All five of the Purple Knights' scorers on the women's side posted personal-best times on Saturday. UB faced off against 14 different schools and a total of 98 runners.

Sophomore Stephanie Lickteig once again led the way for Bridgeport, finishing 27th overall with a PR of 21:01.17. The Milford, Conn. native has now finished as UB's top runner in all three races this season.

Graduate student Marcela Bañuelos followed in 44th place with a collegiate-best 21:57.91, barely edging teammate Julia Fortune, who crossed 45th in 21:58.63, also a collegiate best.  

Lynzie Lawton and Kara Sampath rounded out the Bridgeport scorers, finishing 85th and 87th, respectively, with PRs of 28:28.42 and 28:53.43 to cap off a day full of milestones for the Purple and White.

UP NEXT
The Purple Knights will take part in the Mount St. Mary Fall Pumpkin Run next Sunday (Oct. 19) in Newburgh, N.Y.