Iona MXC Qualifies for NCAA Championship With Second Place Finish at Regionals
BUFFALO, NY - For an 18th straight year, the Iona College men's cross country team will represent the NCAA Northeast Region at the NCAA Championship next weekend in Madison, WI following a fourth consecutive second place showing at the regional meet in Buffalo this afternoon. The Gaels gave No. 12 Syracuse a scare, finishing just nine points behind the Orange to automatically qualify for the NCAA meet at the University of Wisconsin.
Sophomore Ehab El-Sandali was the Gaels top finisher in fourth place, completing the 10k race in 32:45.6. Freshman Jamie Dee finished ninth in 33:06.5 and was the first rookie harrier to cross the line in the meet. Sophomore Jack O'Leary (33:19.4) crossed 14th, senior Liam Dee (33:40.7) was 26th and rookie Matthew Courtenay (33:51.7) was 35th to round out the Gael scorers. Junior Christian Alberico (87th, 34:47.5) and freshman Jordan Brannon (88th, 34:48.1) also represented the Maroon & Gold in the meet.
Sandali and O'Leary had major jumps in the event, having finished 28th and 31st overall in 2017.
Syracuse's 79 team points narrowly defeated Iona's 88. Army West Point finished third with 135 points, Dartmouth fourth with 144 and Brown fifth with 172 in the event. Siena was the No. 2 MAAC school in the event in 12th place.
The stage for the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championship is set in Madison, WI at the University of Wisconsin at its Thomas Zimmer Championship Course on Saturday, November 17. The men's 10k race is scheduled for 12:45 pm ET, following the women's 6k race at 11:45 am. The Iona men have finished in the top-10 at the NCAA meet in 16 of the past 19 appearances that includes second place showing in 2007 and 2008 and 10th place finish in 2016.