CONTACT: Adam Sopris, a.sopris@hvcc.edu or 518-629-7898/518-416-2137
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2023

CROSS COUNTRY WOMEN CLAIM SUNY POLY SHORT COURSE TITLE

UTICA, NY – The Hudson Valley Community College men's and women's cross country program competed in the SUNY Poly Short Course Invitational on Saturday morning in Utica, NY. The women's team earned five top-10 finishes as they claimed the 2022 Short Course title. 

The women's team kicked off the event with the running of the 4,000-meter course at 10 a.m. The Vikings top runner was Olivia Skylstad, who placed 2^nd overall with an official time of 18:26, an impressive improvement of her 32^nd place finish a year ago with a time of 21:00.

Newcomer, Laurel Ticer earned a top-10 finish as she crossed in sixth place with a time of 21:18. Hickory Whelan wasn't too far away from Ticer as Whelan placed seventh overall with a time of 21:32.

Eva Sgambettera and Jessica Wank round out the Vikings top five finishers, who both also earned a spot in the top-10 podium. Sgambettera placed ninth with a time of 22:41 and Wank was right behind her in 10^th place as she crossed the finish line with an official time of 22:58. 

The remaining women's cross country runners were Ellicia Swedish (14^th – 24:26) and Rebecca Seiter (16^th– 25:43). 

The men's program concluded the event with the running of the 6,000-meter course at 11 a.m. Hudson Valley's top runner was Eric Zumpe, who finished fourth overall with a final time of 21:36. Jake Kinnicutt just missed the top-10 as he crossed the finish line in 11^th place with a time of 22:59, nine second off from the 10^th place finisher. 

Justin Layer earned a top-15 finish with a time of 23:27 and Adam Blough placed 16^th and posted a time of 24:12, while William Petramale rounds out the Vikings top-20 finishers with a time of 24:29 (18^th place). 

Rounding out the remaining men's runners are Jordon Wagner (22^nd – 26:05), Ian Shaw (23^rd – 26:05), Aiden Alaxanian (30^th – 39:09) and Edgar Alamo-Benitez (31^st-39:46). 

The cross country programs are back in action on Saturday, Sept. 10 as they travel to compete in the SUNY Cobleskill Steven A. Warde Invitational in Cobleskill, NY. The women will compete on the 6K course, while the men are competing in an 8K course.