Complete Results

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Gators flexed their team muscle in the season-opening Bill Sudeck Invitational hosted by Case Western Reserve. Placing its top five in the first eight places, the men's cross country team cruised to the team title for the second consecutive season despite overwhelmingly hot race conditions.

Times were a little slow across the board, but with temperatures in the 90's and sweltering humidity, the race was not expected to be decidedly fast. After conceding the top spot to the Spartans' Chris Kelly, the Gators went 2-3-4 with senior Pat McLaughlin pacing the Allegheny attack with a time of 20:20.47. Bobby Over (20:44.11) edged Kevin Edwards (20:44.67) for third overall in the 6k circuit, while Jack Dennison (7th, 21:21.68) and Mike Vlah (8th, 21:27.22) rounded out the Gators' scoring contingent.

“The conditions were definitely tough,” noted head coach Brent Wilkerson. “The extreme heat had a negative impact on everyone, but I was proud of the way competed. We'll take a win, and our performance today was definitely a good start to the season.”

Rookie James Rynes finished sixth for the Gators' and 12th overall in the 50-man field with a time of 21:35.47. Garrett Gleeson pieced together a solid race and finished just back of Rynes for the seventh spot on the Allegheny unit after coming through the chute in 21:36.37.