COLCHESTER, Vt. (November 6, 2022) -- It was a banner day for the Franklin Pierce University men's cross country program on Sunday, as the Ravens matched a program high-water mark by finishing as the runners-up at the 2022 Northeast-10 Conference Championship, hosted by Saint Michael's. They were bested only by Southern Connecticut State, which was victorious over the 12 other teams who competed in the 8k race. Franklin Pierce had the individual runner-up as well, as second across the line was junior Wondu Summa (Burlington, Vt.), who finished the race in only 24:54 to make the podium.

For the Ravens, the second-place finish matched the program's best-ever finish in the NE10 Championship, which they previously accomplished in 2013. Meanwhile, Summa's runner-up finish was a new program best at the meet.

In all, Franklin Pierce boasted four All-NE10 performers, as Summa was joined on the First team by junior Ryan Outerbridge (Paget, Bermuda), while graduate student Sebastien Vicary (Ulceby, United Kingdom) and freshman Declan Morgan (West Springfield, Mass.) landed on the Third Team. The NE10 determines its All-Conference teams by placing at the NE10 Championship, as positions 1-7 make up the First Team, spots 8-14 earn Second-Team plaudits, and the Third Team consists of finishers 15-21.

Graduate student Riley Fenoff (Danville, Vt.) was named as winner of the Elite 24 Award, for having the highest grade-point average of any competitor. It was the fourth straight year he won the award.

Close behind Summa was Outerbridge, who finished fifth for his 25:42 performance. Vicary claimed 12th in the race for his 26:00 time. He was accompanied by Morgan, whose 26:40 performance earned him 21st. Junior Ryan Walker (Seabrook, N.H.) was the fifth Raven to cross, taking 22nd for his 26:45 time and rounded out Franklin Pierce at 60 points.

The 60 points left the Ravens just 17 behind the top spot, as SCSU (43 points) claimed its second all-time NE10 Championship (2018). Franklin Pierce narrowly edged out American International (65 points) for second place.

Outside of Franklin Pierce's scoring quintet, juniors Thomas Darrah (Thetford, Vt.) and Evan McNeice (Wethersfield, Conn.) finished in 24th (26:59) and 27^th (27:16) respectively. Also competing in the 125-runner field were Fenoff in 30^th (27:27), sophomore Harrison Pelosi (Gloucester, Mass.) in 44^th (27:55), sophomore Ntakirutimana Janvier (Burlington, Vt.) in 83^rd (29:08) and freshman Riley Tremblay (Mansfield, Mass.) in 107^th (30:59).

The team will be competing next at the NCAA Championship East Regional on Saturday, Nov. 19 in Garden City, N.Y.