By Joe Iuliucci '18
GLASSBORO, N.J. – The Ursinus College men's cross country team traveled to Rowan University's Bill Fritz Invitational to race their first 8k of the season on Saturday, battling oppressive heat to place fourth among 14 teams.
Rowan University finished first to defend its home course. The race's individual top finisher was Otto Kingstedt of RIT, who crossed the line in a time of 25:33.
Crossing the line in 27:40 to secure 10th place among 161 runners, sophomore James McDaid led the team for the second race in a row. Senior Joe Iuliucci finished next in 28:12.
Finishing not only as the third Ursinus Bear but also the third freshman in the entire race, Dylan Geissinger-Tuttle was a mere two seconds back in 28:14 — an impressive feat for his first 8k race.
Freshman Matt Roeder also made a respectable debut in the 8k by finishing in 29:50 as Ursinus' fourth man. Junior Jonny Cope ran tough to round out the team's top five in a time of 30:17, while classmate Andrew Voyack finished close behind in 30:22. Ursinus' seventh man and final scorer was sophomore John DeLia, showing grit in his first 8k race with a time of 31:23.
With the overly hot yet necessary experience of the first 8k in their legs, the Ursinus men have a week off until they race again at Lehigh University's Paul Short Run on September 29. As the fall season moves forward and the weather cools off, the men will only continue to post faster times.