POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The Marist and Iona men's cross country teams shared first place in the season-opening Marist Invitational on Saturday morning at Vassar Farm.

Graduate student Ken Walshak (Babylon, N.Y.) led Marist with a fourth-place overall finish, running 18:55.49 in the 6K race. Walshak led a pack of five Red Foxes who placed fourth through eighth, as he was followed by freshman Steven Morrison (Poughquag, N.Y.) in 18:56.33, junior John Lee (Wading River, N.Y.) in 19:27.71, senior Mark Valentino (Smithtown, N.Y.) at 19:36.76 and freshman Steven Rizzo (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) at 19:42.72.

Both Marist and Iona scored 30 points, followed by Central Connecticut State with 79 and Vassar with 98. The Gaels took the first three spots in the race, led by Nickolaus Lachman's first-place performance in 18:54.06.

Following the men's and women's races, a Senior Day ceremony was held for the 16 members of the men's and women's cross country and track & field programs. The seven men honored were Valentino, Bryan Buttigieg (Massapequa, N.Y.), Ian Dorset (Clifton Park, N.Y.), Kyle Hannafin (Staten Island, N.Y.), David Marthy (Latham, N.Y.), Patrick Rynkowski (Ridgewood, N.J.), Justin Tampellini (Commack, N.Y.).

Marist will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 13 at the Wolfie Invitational, hosted by Stony Brook.