Nov. 18, 2006

NEW YORK, N.Y. - The Marist College men's cross country team wrapped up its finest season in school history in record fashion Saturday at the ICAAAA Championships at Van Cortlandt Park. Running in the Championship Division, the Red Foxes placed a program-best fifth place out of 18 teams, with 161 points. Sophomores David Raucci (Clermont, NY) and Girma Segni (Bronx, NY) paced the Red Foxes with first-ever Championship Division All-East performances.

William and Mary won the meet with 45 points. Marist's previous best finish in the Championship Division was 11th in 2001 (291 points) and 11th in 2003 (263 points). The 161 points was by far the lowest total in school history at the meet. The Red Foxes placed second in the University Division in 2005 and won the University Division in 2000.

Raucci completed the 5-mile course in a personal-record time of 25:32.9, good for 13th place. Segni followed closely behind, placing 15th in 25:37.5. The top 25 runners earn ICAAAA All-East honors. It is the second year in a row both runners have been named All-East. Last year, they earned the honors in the University Division.

Senior captain Justin Harris (Wappingers Falls, NY) closed out his collegiate cross country career with a personal-best time of 26:10.9, good for 41st place. Freshman Conor Shelley (Rockville Centre, NY) followed closely in 44th place in 26:12.5. Junior Tom Williams (Pleasant Valley, NY) rounded out the scoring pack in 65th place with a personal-best time of 26:27.8. Senior captain Matt Szymaszek (Simsbury, CT) and junior Mike Rolek (Maplewood, NJ) completed the top-7 for the Red Foxes with times of 26:53.0 and 26:54.2.

The top-five combined time of the Red Foxes on Saturday was 2:10:01.6 for an average of 26:00.32 per man. This is the second-fastest total in school history, trailing only the 2006 MAAC runner-up team on Oct. 27, which totaled 2:09:40.2 for an average of 25:56.0. The 2006 Metropolitan Championship runner-up team on Oct. 6 totaled 2:10.12.9 for an average of 26:02.6.

This means that the 2006 Running Red Foxes have secured the top-3 overall Van Cortlandt Park times in school history in the three meets they ran there this year, cementing themselves as the finest team in the program's 43-year history.

Team standings: 1. William and Mary 45, 2. James Madison 92, 3. Yale 96, 4. Duke 103, 5. Marist 161, 6. Princeton 176, 7. St. Joseph's 180, 8. Columbia 207, 9. New Hampshire 239, 10. Maryland 259, 11. Massachusetts 266, 12. LaSalle 330, 13. Delaware 333, 14. UNC Wilmington 379, 15. Mercy 495; Cornell, Georgetown, Stony Brook INC

Marist finishers

13. David Raucci 25:32.9
15. Girma Segni 25:37.5
41. Justin Harris 26:10.9
44. Conor Shelley 26:12.5
65. Tom Williams 26:27.8
90. Matt Syzmaszek 26:53.0
91. Mike Rolek 26:54.2
113. Michael Cator 27:18.4
116. John Keenan 27:21.9
121. Alex Emerel 27:29.6
127. Jeff Belge 27:44.8
138. Kris Geist 28:59.5