New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz cross country team will travel to race in the Mount Saint Mary's College Invitational at a Hudson Valley Sports Complex course for both programs.

SUNY New Paltz will race in Milton for the second time this season after placing first on both the men's and women's side at the New Paltz Invitational Sept. 17. It's just the second time since 2012 the Hawks will race on its home course twice in a season, with the program running in the New Paltz Invite and SUNYAC Championship at the complex in 2019. Meanwhile, the Knights, who placed third on the women's side and did not score in the men's race at the New Paltz Invite earlier thi season, race their entire six-meet season at the complex, with Saturday's invite being its regular season finale. Fourteen other teams are expected to compete in the two races.

It also marks the Hawks second straight meet racing on a primary grass course after racing on the National Warplane Museum grass loop course at last weekend's Mike Woods Invitational in Geneseo. The two factors of racing on grass in consecutive weeks and racing at home leads to higher expectations and challenges this week for the program.

"I'm looking for everybody to break what they had done at our home meet and have a personal record on that course," said SUNY New Paltz coach Aislinn Ryan. "It's definitely going to be a bigger race in our home meet, but looking to try to go for the win or at least focus on everyone improving their times on that course is really the main goal." 

"We've had a lot of good fast races thus far," added senior Clara Flores-Reininger. "I think we're just finishing out these last few, just making sure we stay strong, don't get injured, and have some fast times. These last two races are gonna be nice because we'll be able to be up against some other people that we haven't been able to compete with before."

SUNY New Paltz will look to enjoy the home meet after their largest race of the season at the Mike Woods Oct. 2. The men's team finished 20th out of 33rd with a score of 520 in the 8K race. Senior Jake Meyers (25:46.1) continued to lead the men, placing 29th overall in the race as he pursues the National Championships in Kentucky. Meanwhile, the women's side placed 15th out of 29 teams with 439 points. Flores-Reininger (23:00.7), who has finished first for the Hawks in both grass-course races, impressed with a 15th overall finish, while junior Kate Cochran placed 28th overall with a 6K personal best 23 minutes, 27.7 seconds. Multiple runners also set personal bests, including freshman Vincent Mandraccia (29:21.5) in the fast-paced course.

"The course at Milton is a pretty difficult one, but we're starting to get into that point in the season where a lot of us are cutting down on time and our hope is for all of us to set personal bests," said Mandraccia.

The women's team will run without freshmen Marcella Candlin and Jazmyne Daily-Simpson, as they will rest for the remaining three races. Juniors Brian Casey and Carlos Vasquez, who have missed the last two races due to injury, will sit out again for the men's Hawks, but Ryan said they will likely be back before the end of the season.

"Brian and Carlos are making steps day by day towards getting back on the line with us," Ryan said. "They are being held out of this meet, but I hope to race Carlos for Connecticut College and have Brian on the line along with Carlos for SUNYACs."

The race is the penultimate meet for SUNY New Paltz. After the Mount Saint Mary's Invite, it will race in the Connecticut College Invitational Oct. 16, its final regular season meet before the SUNYAC Championships in Cortland Oct. 30. The Hawks will then travel to Waterford, CT Nov. 13 to race in the NCAA Regional Tournament for a chance to race in the championships in Louisville, KY Nov. 20.

"The more challenges we face, the less fazed we will be by them in the future," Ryan said on preparing their team for the final stretch of the season. "The team is noticing an increased ease on grass, hills, mud, in crowds, and doing speed training. Racing never feels easy because you are always pushing to your limit, but that limit just gets faster and faster as your fitness builds. It won't get easier, but they will get faster."

The Mount Saint Mary's College Invitational is scheduled to begin Saturday with the women's race at 11 a.m., followed by the men's race at 12 p.m. To view the results, click here.

-------------------------------