PHOTO CREDIT: Troy Hendricks '22

WINTHROP, Mass. – Saint Joseph's (Maine) is set to host the 2023 Great Northeast Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships on Saturday Nov. 4 with the men's 8K at 12:15 PM in Standish, Maine.

Colby-Sawyer is looking to be back on top on the men's side as they are picked to win this Saturday's championship, receiving 82 points and three first-place votes. Right behind the Chargers is Norwich, which received 80 points and four-first-place votes, and Saint Joseph's (Maine), which received 76 points and four first place votes as well to round out the top three.

Emmanuel was picked to finish fourth as they received 49 points and a first place vote. Regis (46 points), Lasell (43), the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) (35), and Dean (21) rounded out the last four spots on the poll.

Elms, Mitchell, New England College, and Rivier are expected to send individual runners to this year's event.

Team Previews (In order of poll results)

Colby-Sawyer

Colby-Sawyer competed in four meets this year, collecting a second-place finish at the Colby-Sawyer Invitational on Sept. 1.

Junior Hayden Goyette, who was named GNAC Runner of the Week in week five, led his team to second place as he also placed second at the invitational individually. Senior Jesse Gushee and Martin Steucek have both consistently finished as the second and third runners in each event for the Chargers.

Norwich

The reigning GNAC champs competed in six meets this season, winning their own Invitational on Oct. 14 and finishing second in both the Castleton Invite and Aldrich Invitational.

They are led by senior Colby Makin, who has led the way for the Cadets in every meet he's competed in this season. His best finish was in the Castleton Invite in which he finished fifth. His first-year teammate Alek Villavicenci finished third in the invitational as well. Rookie runner Seth Varin led the Cadets to a first-place finish at the Norwich Invitational, who finished second overall in the event.

Saint Joseph's (Maine)

The Monks have also completed six meets this season, winning two events and placing second in one of them.

Five-time GNAC Rookie of the Week Jacob Pelletier, who also won the Runner of the Week in week three, has taken home first-place in three events for the Monks. His fellow teammates junior Ryan Graham and sophomore Alexey Seredin have both consistently followed behind Pelletier, finishing second and third for the Monks at the finish line. Both Graham and Seredin finished in the top ten twice for the Monks.

Emmanuel

Emmanuel has competed in five meets, collecting one first place finish at the Elms Blazers XC Classic.

Freshman Nick Ware finished first overall for the Saints in the team's first place finish at Elms and has been consistently the first runner to finish each meet for Emmanuel. Fellow classman Andrew Kubaska has finished as the second runner in all but one meet for the Saints.

Regis

The Regis Pride have competed in five meets this season.

Junior and Week four GNAC Runner of the Week Benjamin Happenny has led the way for the Pride this season, finishing first in every single meet. His best individual performance came on Sept. 1 when the junior runner finished seventh in the Colby-Sawyer Invitational.

Lasell

Lasell has competed in six meets this year.

First-Year Wesley Thompson finished first for the Lasers in the five meets that he competed in this season. Right behind him, fellow first-year Luke Bullock finished first in their opening meet and placed second in four out of the six meets for Lasell.

University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)

The Blue Jays have competed in six meets this year with their best finish coming at the Mitchell Invitational in which they finished second.

They will be led by three-time GNAC Runner of the Week Braden Laframboise, who finished in the top ten four times and two of them being first-place finishes. Junior Patrick O'Connor and senior Alfred Valero traded off second-place finishes throughout the meets.

Dean

The Bulldogs have competed in five meets this season, collecting a first-place finish at the Mitchell College Invitational on Sept. 22.

Junior Colin Cleary came in third individually to help pace the Bulldogs to the first-place finish. Freshman Harrison Soep, junior Sebastian Marsalese, and senior Angus Lodge rounded out the six, seven, and eight spots in the meet respectively.

Elms

The Elms Blazers have competed in five meets.

Senior Santino Giordano has competed as the top finisher for the Blazers in most of their meets this season.

Mitchell

The Mitchell Mariners have competed in six meets this season.

First-year Jonathan Hecker finished every meet as the top runner for the Mariners. The week four GNAC Rookie of the Week held a second-place finish at the Mitchell Invitational and third place at the Blazers Classic.

New England College

The New England College Pilgrims have completed four meets this season.

Junior Malik Keresey has finished each meet first for the Pilgrims with his best performance being the Colby-Sawyer Invitational in which the junior finished in 13th place individually.

Rivier

Rivier University has competed in four meets this season.

First-year Cameron Ingram and sophomore Noah Cavallo have led the way for the Raiders this year as Ingram has crossed the finish line first in all meets while Cavallo followed behind him.

GNAC Championship Poll Results

COURTESY OF THE GNAC SPORTS INFORMATION OFFICE