Race Results (PDF)

BETHLEHEM, PA (September 30, 2011) --  Led by a hard running trio of three seniors, the Vassar College men's cross country team finished 18th out of 46 teams at the Paul Short Run at Lehigh University on Friday afternoon. The Brewers were competing in the Brown 8k.

The Paul Short Run featured a mix of Division I, II and III teams. Division I Iona College easily won the competition over Binghamton and Nebraska Wesleyan.

The Brewers, which lost junior Sam Wagner a half mile into the race due to a sprained ankle, sported a very tight top four pack that was only separated by 22 seconds.

The Brewers got a sensational effort from senior Will Healy who led Vassar across the finish line with a 26:43 time, 61st best in a field with 382 runners. Said head coach James McCowan, “Will really stepped up big time for us today.”

Fellow senior Zach Williams finished next in 26:47, a performance that prompted McCowan to suggest that “Zach is developing into the type of runner we know he can be.”

Senior Justin Rupert was third for Vassar (27:04), followed by junior Roni Teich (27:05) and freshman Eliot Gerson rounded out Vassar's scoring, finishing in 27:50.

Senior Evan Russek (28:14) and sophomore Charlies Wise were Vassar's sixth and seventh finishers.

“It was a solid performance from our guys, but we definitely have better races ahead of us,” McCowan said. “The team was very steady today. While we didn't necessarily prove anything new today, the race had some high points. We beat some good teams and got beat by good teams. That's racing.”

The Brewers return to action next Saturday at the St. Lawrence Pre-Regional in Canton, NY. Vassar will race the course used at the NCAA Atlantic Regionals on November 12.