The Sacred Heart University men’s cross country team finished fifth at the Stony Brook Season Opener on Aug. 31, with strong performances from first-year runners and returning athletes.
The result marks a solid start to the season for the Pioneers, who competed against several teams in their opening meet. The team’s performance was highlighted by contributions from newcomers Demetri Franzese and Harjaap Singh, who scored third and fifth for Sacred Heart while placing 24th and 27th overall.
Sophomore Michael Mason led the Pioneers with a career-best time of 20:15.5 in the 6k race, earning him a 17th place finish. Matthew Vene also secured a top-25 spot by finishing 23rd overall. Owen Delisle rounded out the scoring for Sacred Heart, taking fourth among his teammates and placing 25th overall with a time of 20:54.7.
Other notable performances included Anthony Esposito and Patrick Devine, who finished sixth and seventh among Sacred Heart runners and placed within the top 35 in their first collegiate races. Full race results are available online.
The Pioneers will compete next at the Manhattan University Jasper Fall Invitational in Montgomery, New York on September 14, where they will preview the course for the upcoming MAAC Championship.
