WESTFIELD, Mass. – After coming off a championship-winning performance from a week ago, the Southern Vermont College men's cross country team ran exceptionally well at Saturday's Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Championship back at Stanley Park.
The Mountaineers finished 12 overall as a team in the highly-competitive field of 43 squads that scored. They were led by freshman Marc Brandmeyer (Bennington, Vermont) who came through ahead of a majority of the 303 participants, placing 17th with a time of 26:13; that is a new personal-best time for the rookie, shaving 15 seconds off his previous record that he set at last week's New England Collegiate Conference Championship.
Brandmeyer was only five seconds in front of teammate and SVC sophomore Justin Ferguson (Broadalbin, New York) who moved up to third on the team's all-time record list with a new personal best of 26:18, good enough for 21st overall on the day. He was followed for the Mountaineers by senior Herson Canta (Lagunitas, California) who came through at 26:42.
SVC freshman Andrew Brandmeyer (Bennington, Vermont) was fourth for the team with a 28:32 showing, and sophomore Corey Barcomb (Burlington, Vermont) rounded out Southern Vermont's top five at 28:42, taking seven seconds off his previous best.
Senior captain Victor Velazquez (South Pasadena, California) finished next for his team at 29:00 with junior captain Cameron Michael Curtiss (Milton, Vermont) right on his side, crossing just fractions of a second after for a 29:00 PR; that was 15 seconds faster than any time he's run in his career.
Williams College was the overall race champion with 57 points while Tufts University placed second with 71 points accumulated. Amherst College took the third-place title will 111 points on the day. AC sophomore Steven Lucey (Villanova, Pa.) took the race's individual crown with a top time of 25:37.
The Mountaineers now prepare for the last meet on their schedule, next Saturday's NCAA Regional Qualifier being held at Williams College.
Southern Vermont College
17th – Marc Brandmeyer (26:13) PR
21st – Justin Ferguson (26:18) PR
34th – Herson Canta (26:42)
139th – Andrew Brandmeyer (28:32)
150th – Corey Barcomb (28:42) PR
170th – Victor Velazquez (29:00)
171st – Cameron Michael Curtiss (29:00) PR