HOLMDEL, NJ – Both the men's and women's cross country teams won the 2^nd Annual Henry Mercer Monmouth Invitational on Saturday morning at Holmdel Park. Graduate student Christiana Rutkowski for the third race this season won the women's 5K with ease by finishing in 19:04.87. Seniors Ryan Mitchell and Kyle Mueller went onto finish 1-2 while finishing less than half a second apart.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES
 

• "The men did a nice job of running under control and being decisive today," said Head Coach Joe Compagni. "The women know they need to stick closer together but had some very good individual efforts. Holmdel Park is a great test and a big strength builder. We are looking forward to the bigger meets ahead."
• Before the meet, Henry Mercer was honored and spoke to the crowd in attendance. Henry D. Mercer, III, Monmouth alumnus of the Class of 1987, was elected to the Monmouth University Board of Trustees in 2011 and served as Chairman of the Board from 2014 to 2017. Mercer is the 11-year Co-Coach of the Rumson-Fair Haven High School Cross Country teams, winner of the Girls NJSIAA Meet of Championships in 2011, and was named as one of the Coaches of the Year by the Asbury Park Press and the Star Ledger.
• The men's course is a hilly, challenging 5 mile layout that includes the "Start Hill" and the "Sled Hill" in the first mile, and two trips around "The Bowl" mile between miles 2 and 4.
• This course was used for the first time in 2012, including the MAAC Championships in 2014 and 2017 MAAC Championships.
• The men have won this home invitational 14 times in the history of this meet, including five of the last six years.
• The women have won 3 of the last 4 Monmouth Invitationals with this being their 8^th of all time.
• The men defeated teams from Wagner and St. Francis (NY) while the women took down old NEC rivals Wagner, St. Francis (NY) and LIU Brooklyn.
• Mitchell (27:02.77), Mueller (27:03.02), Tim Euler (27:06.04) and Louis DiLaurenzio (27:06.31) rounded out the top 4 of the men's race.
• This was the first win in Mitchell's collegiate career.
• The women claimed eight of the top 10 spots on the tradition 5K race at Holmdel Park.
• Followed by Rutkowski was Dayna Luma in second with a time of 19:54.26. Melanie Pfennig (20:05.73) and Alyssa Repsher (20:06.18) placed fourth and fifth. Rounding out the Blue and White's top six was Kyra Velock (20:17.11) in 7^th and Megan Lindstrom (20:26.33) in 8^th.
• Luma recorded her highest team and overall finish in her collegiate career with the second place finish.

 
NEXT UP

• The Hawks will travel to Lehigh University for the prestigious Paul Short Run next Saturday with the men's race starting at 9:30 AM and the women beginning at 10:15 AM.