Complete Results

GENEVA, N.Y. -- Standout freshman Owen Rose '22 became just the third runner in the recent history of the Elmira College men's cross country program to log a sub-29-minute eight-kilometer time on Saturday at the Cross Country Only Conference (CCOC) Championships, hosted by William Smith College.

Although he fell 5.3 seconds shy of the all-time record, Rose navigated the 8K course in 28:27.80, joining James Fritsche '18 (28:22.50) and Cody Stinson '16 (28:22.90) as the only Soaring Eagles in the past four years to run an 8K in less than 29 minutes. Rose placed eighth out of 98 competitors at the CCOC Championships, the second top-10 finish of his rookie season.

Jeremy Best '19 was next to cross the finish line for EC, as the Wexford, Pennsylvania, native placed 32nd with a personal-record time of 31:08.80. Fellow senior Jarritt Himmelreich '19, who ran the second-fastest 8K of his four-year career, followed in 43rd-place with a time of 31:57.50.

Jonathan Muller '18 and Matt Straney '20 wrapped up Elmira's scoring five in 69th and 76th place, respectively. Both Muller and Straney posted PR times, too, with the former clocking in at 35:21.80 and the latter at 36:57.30.

Senior Justin Gillule '19 also participated in the CCOC Championships on Saturday, picking up an 89th-place finish with a time of 40:14.90.

As a team, Elmira came in seventh with a total of 171 points, 23 shy of Morrisville State in sixth place and nine better than Wells College in eighth. The six Soaring Eagles averaged a time of 32:46 on the 8K course at Seneca Lake State Park.

Elmira Men's Results
8 – Owen Rose – 28:27.80
32 – Jeremy Best – 31:08.80
43 – Jarritt Himmelreich – 31:57.50
69 – Jonathan Muller - 35:21.80
76 – Matt Straney – 36:57.30
89 – Justin Gillule – 40:14.90

Team Results

1. Clarkson – 33
2. Hobart – 45
3. D'Youville – 119
4. SUNY Canton – 121
5. Paul Smith's – 141
6. Morrisville State – 148
7. Elmira – 171
8. Wells – 180
9. Medaille – 245
10. Villa Maria – 269

News and Notes

• Elmira's seventh-place finish is a program-best in the team's four years competing in the event.
• Rose, Best, Muller and Straney each recorded PR times.
• Rose finished with the third-quickest 8K in team history, making him just the third Soaring Eagle to run a time under 29 minutes.
• Rose finished inside the top 10 for the second time in his freshman season.

Up Next
Elmira will return to Alfred, New York, to compete in the 2018 Empire 8 Conference Championships on Saturday, October 27. The Saxons will hold the conference title race at the Jericho Hill Fields cross country course, the site of September's short course meet.