Bronx, NY - Registrations are now being accepted for the Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational Presented by HOKA (MCXCI) that will again be contested at Van Cortlandt Park on Saturday, October 8. The New York City event also includes both the prestigious Boys and Girls Eastern States Championship elite races along with varsity, junior varsity, sophomore, freshman and modified/intermediate races for both boys and girls. All of the 2022 races will be live streamed by MileSplit.
Full registration and Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational Presented by HOKA information can be found here. Registration is $65 per varsity, junior varsity, sophomore, and freshman teams. Registration for the intermediate races are $12 per individual. Registrations for the 50th annual MCXCI close on Saturday, October 1. Direct link to registration can be found at manhattan.milesplit.com
"The Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational Presented by HOKA is a great meet for high school runners of all levels," said Kerri Gallagher, Director of Cross Country, Track & Field at Manhattan College who also serves as Event Director for the MXCXI. "It gives the athletes a chance to test their skills on the legendary Van Cortlandt Park course at one of the biggest and best run meets in the country."
"It's an Invitational that proudly offers more awards than any other meet of its kind - medals to top 75 runners in every race; Invitational t-shirts to first three teams in every varsity race; Invitational wind breakers to all varsity race-winning coaches; team trophies & watches to each individual, varsity race winner along with top seven for each of the Boys and Girls Eastern States Championship team champs."
Starting in 2022, the MCXCI also plans to offer a 1.5-mile Coaches Race. "This will be a really fun addition to the day's events where coaches can throw on a singlet and join their teams competing for prizes and bragging rights," said Gallagher.
Situated in the northwest corner of New York City, Van Cortlandt Park is renowned in cross country circles as the venue where harrier greats such as Steve Prefontaine, Marty Liquori & Matt Centrowitz first rose to prominence as high school and college runners. In more recent years, Mary Cain, Edward Cheserek and Katelyn Tuohy have established course records over the challenging "Vannie" hills and flats.
All-time top girls at Van Cortlandt Park
All-time top boys at Van Cortlandt Park
The Ed Bowes Girl's Eastern States Championship will again be contested as one of the featured races at the 2022 MCXCI. Junior Karrie Baloga from Cornwall (NY) High School was the 2021 individual winner with Bethlehem Central (NY) narrowly defeating Ridgewood (NJ) and Cornwall for the team crown.
Girls Eastern States Champions
Jackson Barna, a Ridge (NJ) High School senior now competing collegiately for Georgetown won the 2021 Peter Aquilone Memorial Boy's Eastern States Championship with LaSalle (PA) High School taking the team title.
As part of the 50th annual event, the Manhattan College Runner's Expo will take place on Friday evening, October 7. Plans are still being finalized for this on-campus as well as virtual event. In the past, Friday's Runner's Expo has included a panel by NCAA college coaches discussing the opportunities and challenges for high school athletes competing at the college level. There was also a free pasta dinner for the runners sponsored by Baldor Specialty Foods and a keynote address by US Olympic silver-medalist and HOKA runner Leo Manzano.
Founded in 1972 by renowned Bishop Loughlin High School coach and Manhattan College Hall of Fame runner Ed Bowes, the Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational quickly grew into the nation's largest, single-day, scholastic cross country meet with up to 10,000 runners competing in over 40-races at Van Cortlandt. Lou Vazquez, one of the most accomplished and influential figures in NYC cross country, track & field circles serves as the new Meet Director of the Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational Presented by HOKA.
Any questions regarding the meet can be emailed to:
crosscountryinvitational@
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