HOLMDEL, N.J. – The Stevens Institute of Technology men's cross-country team took the top spot Saturday in the season-opening Back to the Bowl Invitational at Holmdel Park, placing their top seven finishers among the Top 12 runners overall.

Stevens five point-earning runners finished 6^th, 7^th, 8^th, 9^th, and 10^th, respectively (with the next four team finishers all placing among the Top 22 competitors).

As a team, the Ducks scored 40 points, 10 ahead of D-I Wagner, 66 clear of Stockton, and 104 clear of Kean.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Mick Barbi was the first Duck across the finish line, running 17:07.90. 10 seconds later, a flock of Ducks finished in succession. Markus Soennichsen clocked 17:18.50, followed by Max Thorn in 17:20.50, both running in their first collegiate meet; Ryan Paradine (17:21.20) and Kevin Medrow (17:21.70) rounded out the Ducks' point scorers.

Joseph Ruben, Ryan Shibles and Dylan Barrett were right on Medrow's heels, finishing in 17:31.10, 17:32.20, and 17:35.80, respectively; Shibles and Barrett were also running in their first collegiate meet.

Caleb Stephen (17:59.00) and James Adamo (18:04.90) finished 16^th and 17^th, respectively, Matt Hodorowski ran 18:14.30 for 19^th, and Enrico Parrella clocked 18:29.60 for 23^rd.

Additional runners, places, and times from Saturday:

• William Parker, 28^th, 18:38.60
• Nelson VanMaaren, 31^st, 18:44.50
• Ryan Kropac, 34^th, 19:06.80
• Divyesh Narravula, 39^th, 19:24.60
• Christopher Reyes, 40^th, 19:31.90
• Christian Garofano, 57^th, 20:58.30
  • All six were running in their first collegiate meet

Saturday's event was hosted by Stevens, the program's first home meet in 14 years.

INSIDE THE MEET

• The men won a meet for the second straight season, following victory at last season's Messiah Invitational (September 28)
• No other competiting institution, including Wagner, had more than three runners in the Top 10.

UP NEXT
Stevens heads to Doylestown, PA for the Delaware Valley-hosted Aggie Invitational on September 20.

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