EDISON, NJ (Oct. 27, 2021) – The 2021-22 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship season officially kicks off on Saturday, October 30 with the 2021 MAAC Men’s & Women’s Cross Country Championships in Orlando, Florida at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort. Championship races begin with the men’s 8k race at 9:00 a.m. followed by the women’s 6k race at 9:45 a.m.
 
For the men, 30-time defending champion, the Iona College Gaels will look to continue its three-decade reign in the championship. All-American and 2020-21 MAAC Most Outstanding Runner, Jack O’Leary is the Gaels top returner. O’Leary will be joined by All-MAAC honorees Jamie Dee, Joshua DeSouza, Campbell Lee, Damien Dilcher, Jonathon DeSouza, 2020-21 MAAC Most Outstanding Rookie Lachlan Wellington, and Colin Logsdon.
 
On the women’s side, Iona will be in pursuit of a sixth straight championship title and 16th crown over the past 17 years. Gemma Nuttall, the MAAC’s Most Outstanding Runner in 2020-21, will lead the Gaels along with last year’s all-league members in Kaitlyn Ohrtman, Most Outstanding Rookie Holly Smith, and Cara Du Preez.
 
Key runners to watch for on the men’s side are returning All-MAAC selections in Canisius’ Tom Appenheimer, Manhattan’s Pelle Noguiera, Monmouth’s Louis DiLaurenzio and Cameron Janovic, Rider’s Richie Castaneda, and Siena’s Brandon Olden.
 
Women’s top runners and last year’s All-MAAC selections to keep an eye on feature Hayley Collins of Marist, Allie Pierontoni and Katie Locker from Monmouth, Liv DiStefano and Emily Young of Quinnipiac, and Olivia Lomascolo and Regina Rosati from Siena.
 
All information regarding the 2021 MAAC Men’s & Women’s Cross Country Championships, can be found on maacsports.com.
 
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 41st year of competition during the 2021-22 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
 
Stay up to date with the MAAC on social media by following @MAACSports on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or visit MAACSports.com for all the latest MAAC news.