NASHUA, N.H. - - A pair of Wilmington University cross country team members finished 26th overall in their respective races, leading the men to a 12th place finish and the women to a 17th place finish at the NCAA Division II East Regional Championship at Mine Falls Park.
Tyler Muse finished 26th in the men's 10K race while Megan Ferrick finished 26th in the women's 6K event to lead the Wildcats in the Regional Championship. Earning the East's automatic qualification into the NCAA Division II National Championship for the men were American International, Stonehill, and Roberts Wesleyan while Roberts Wesleyan, Stonehill, and St. Michael's earned the trip to Nationals on the women's side.
Muse was the top finisher from the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference on the men's side while Ferrick was the second CACC finisher on the women's side behind Nyack's Sara-Caitrin Mandelburg.
Muse ran the 10K race in 32:34.3, running at a 5:14.5 per mile clip to lead the Wildcats. Freshman Andrew Milham finished 46th overall and earned the Wildcats 45 points with a time of 33:04.6, running at a 5:19.4 per mile clip.
Mark Hannagan was the third Wildcat to cross the finish line on Saturday afternoon, placing 73rd overall for 71 points, crossing the line in 33:57.3, running at a 5:27.8 per mile clip. Matt Mossman was the 101st finisher in the 10K, earning 99 points for the Wildcats with a time of 34:58.5, running at a 5:37.7 per mile clip. Quinn Marvel was the final point getter for the Wildcats on Saturday, finishing 104th overall while earning 102 points with a time of 35:05.0, running at a 5:38.7 per mile clip.
Mike Wright finished out his Wildcat career with a 170th place finish, earning 166 points for the Wildcats with a time of 39:34.4, running at a 6:22.1 per mile clip.
The Wildcats earned 343 points to finished 12th out of 28 teams, finishing behind Philadelphia's 327 points and just ahead of Assumption's 375 points.
American International's Mike Biwott paced the 10K event with a time of 30:34.7, running at a 4:55.2 per mile clip to earn medalist honors on the men's side.
Ferrick ran the 6K race in 22:55.3 to earn the Wildcats 25 points, running at a 6:08.9 per mile clip. SaraBeth Oppermann finished 49th overall to earn the Wildcats 48 points in her final collegiate event, running at a 6:19.0 per mile clip. Jeanette Halliburton also wrapped up her collegiate career with a 66th place finish overall, earning 65 points for the Wildcats with a time of 23:59.0, running at a 6:25.9 per mile clip.
Morgan Ferrick finished 139th overall for 134 points, finishing in 26:10.9 with a 7:01.3 per mile clip. Rachel Jones wrapped up the scoring for the Wildcats, finishing 148th overall with 141 points with a time of 26:37.0, running at a 7:08.3 per mile clip.
Tijen Ozcan was the sixth Wildcat to finish, placing 158th overall with a time of 27:20.2, running at a 7:19.9 per mile clip. Bailey Brooks finished 162 overall with a time of 27:34.8, running at a 7:23.8 per mile clip.
The Wildcats earned 413 points to finish 17th overall out of 27 teams on Saturday, finishing just behind Saint Rose who also earned 413 points but won the tiebreaker. The Wildcats finished just ahead of Molloy who finished with 507 points.
Roberts Wesleyan Rachel Prutsman earned medalist honors with a time of 21:36.0 to pace the 6K event, running at a 21:36.0 per mile clip.