WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – In the first cross country event of the 2013 season for Southern Vermont College, the men's and women's teams joined up for the Williams Co-ed Relays this past weekend.

One male and one female runner were paired together for each team that competed for a total of seven kilometers; the male would start by running a 3K, the female would then run a 2K, and the male would finish with another 2K.

Joining SVC and Williams was Middlebury College, also nationally ranked in addition to WC; alumni of Williams also participated in the mix. In total, 44 teams competed in the season-starter.

The first group across the line for Southern Vermont consisted of junior men's captain Victor Velazquez (Los Angeles, Calif.) and freshman Schyler McGuire (Mechanicville, N.Y.) who finished with a time of 49:41. Following them for the Mountaineers was junior Heherson Canta (Eagle Rock, Calif.) and sophomore women's captain Haley Omasta (Danbury, Conn.), coming in at 51:33. The day was taken by the Middlebury group headed by senior Wilder Shaaf (Ashland, Ore.) who finished with a time of 43:41.

"They all ran really hard and were great teammates for each other," commented SVC first-year head coach Kathleen Newton. "They competed against some of the best in the country and really held their own and pushed themselves as hard as possible."

Southern Vermont looks to its first formal meet this weekend as the College hosts the Mountaineer Invitational with nine teams expected to join. Both races will be a 5K with the women slated to start at 11 a.m. and the men taking off at 12 p.m. The starting and finishing line will both be on the lawn below the Mansion.