SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Southern Vermont College men's cross country team ran its final regular season race of the year on Saturday at Western New England University's Golden Bear Invitational.

Two SVC runners set new personal-best times while others continued to make improvements as the team draws closer to its league title race at the end of the month. Southern Vermont finished seventh as a squad—splitting the field of 14 schools that posted collective scores.

The Mountaineers are off next weekend as they rest up and prepare for the New England Collegiate Conference Championship; the title meet will be held on Saturday, October 28 at Stanley Park in Westfield, Mass.

Senior captain Marc Brandmeyer (Bennington, Vt.) led SVC with his best 8,000 meter time of the year by 25 seconds—coming in at ninth overall with a 27:57. Sophomore Davanté Smith (Ellenville, N.Y.) was next for the Mountaineers as he came in at 28:42—just three seconds behind his season-best from two weeks ago—to place 20th overall.

Bennington College freshman C.G. Holden (Pittsburgh, Pa.) was third for Southern Vermont with a 29:24, and junior Isaiah Backels (Derry, N.H.) knocked 41 seconds off of his mark from the team's last race to be fourth for SVC with a season-low 32:34.

Mountaineer junior rookie Jackson Amankrah (New York City, N.Y.) took 38 seconds off of his previous personal record to round out Southern Vermont's scoring placements at 35:53, and freshman Orlando Guichardo (New York, N.Y.) also set a new PR by 10 seconds with a 47:11.

Southern Vermont College
9th – Marc Brandmeyer: 27:57
20th – Davanté Smith: 28:42
30th – C.G. Holden: 29:24
61st – Isaiah Backels: 32:34
82nd – Jackson Amankrah: 35:53 (PR)
105th – Orlando Guichardo: 47:11 (PR)

– #LetsGoSVC –