From NYU Athletics

The New York University men's cross country team won the Highlander Invitational, hosted by Houghton College at the Field of Dreams Course in Houghton, NY, on Saturday, October 7.

Three Violet runners finished among the top-10 as NYU totaled 43 points in the the race, 22 points ahead of second-place Rochester Institute of Technology (65 points). 

Neil Saddler was NYU's top finisher for the second-consecutive week. After a ninth-place performance at the Paul Short Invitational last week, Saddler placed second on Saturday, traversing the 8k course in a time of 25:04.4. Only RIT's Otto Kingstedt (24:46.6) finished ahead of Saddler in the 187-person race.

"Neil ran a great race and is looking more and more comfortable running at the head of the pack," said NYU Head Coach Erison Hurtault.

Brandon Shirazi (4th, 25:22.3) and Max Mudd (9th, 25:42.3) also finished among the top-10 for the Violets.

Other NYU scorers in the race were Robert DeSisto (13th, 25:52.8) and Karn Setya (15th, 25:58.3).

"The team competed well and got some valuable experience running on the same course we ill be running on for NCAA Regionals," said Hurtault. 

COURSE NOTES:

- Jordan Reyes (25:58.3) finished behind Setya in 16th place.

- NYU's seventh runner, Ben Karam, finished 20th (26:07.4).

- Sixteen teams competed in the race.