SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Three weeks after its last race, the Southern Vermont College men's cross country team resumed its 2015 schedule with a second-place team finish at Saturday's Golden Bear Invitational hosted by Western New England University.

The team saw tremendous improvements from its previous outing with four veteran runners setting better marks than they did at last year's Golden Bear. Junior Justin Ferguson (Broadalbin, N.Y.) was first for the Mountaineers and second overall, crossing with a time of 26:22; that was 30 seconds faster than he ran in his last 8,000 meter race and 46 seconds faster than what he posted in the 2014 meet at WNEU. Sophomore Marc Brandmeyer (Bennington, Vt.) was next to come through for the field, placing third with a 26:47 showing; his time was 33 seconds quicker than that from three weeks ago and 40 seconds faster than his time on the same course last year.

Bennington College freshman Noah Froh (Milwaukee, Wis.) was next for the Mountaineers at 15th place overall, taking 1:26 off his pervious personal record for a time of 28:17; that mark puts him at eighth on the all-time SVC record list. Junior Corey Barcomb (Burlington, Vt.) was fourth for SVC and 30th overall with a 29:11 posting, shaving off 52 seconds from his last race and 12 seconds from his best showing at any Golden Bear.

Senior captain Cameron Michael Curtiss (Milton, Vt.) rounded out the scoring placements for the Mountaineers with a 38th-place finish, crossing at 29:25 for a time 1:02 faster than his last race; that was also 13 seconds quicker than his best run through three previous participations at Western New England. SVC freshman Isaiah Backels (Derry, N.H.) participated in his first 8k since four weeks ago, taking a whole 4:43 off his previous best for a new PR of 33:37.

The Mountaineers took second as a squad with 80 team points, edging Gordon College by just one while Westfield State University won the meet with a total of 30.

The Mountaineers are next in action this coming Saturday, October 24 when they head back to Mount Greylock Regional High School for the Plansky Invitational hosted by Williams College. A collective men's and women's race, added to the SVC schedule after the Keene State Invitational on October 3 was canceled, is a 5,000 meter race slated to start at 12 p.m. and serving as the last competition for the team before October 31's New England Collegiate Conference Championship.

Southern Vermont
2nd – Justin Ferguson: 26:22
3rd – Marc Brandmeyer: 26:47
15th – Noah Froh: 28:17 (PR)
30th – Corey Barcomb: 29:11
38th – Cameron Michael Curtiss: 29:25
95th – Isaiah Backels: 33:37 (PR)