PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - - Matt Gonzalez was the first NCAA runner to cross the finish line in leading the Wilmington University cross country teams at the Jack St. Clair Memorial on Belmont Plateau on Saturday afternoon.
Gonzalez finished sixth overall, but was the first NCAA runner to finish with a time of 28:12.8 to lead the Wildcats to a fourth place finish out of 15 teams at the open meet. The six runners ahead of Gonzalez are members of club or professional teams. He earned six points for the Wildcats.
Dan Wyshinski was the third NCAA runner to cross the line, finishing 11th overall with a time of 28:47.0, earning 10 points in the meet. Michael Dowd gave the Wildcats 26 points with a 30th place finish, crossing the line in 29:48.7. Logan Strouse was the fourth Wildcat to finish, earning 27 points with a 33rd place finish in a time of 30:06.8. Darnell McLean closed out the Wilmington scoring with 53 points, finishing 77th overall with a time of 33:49.5.
Hayward Boutte finished right behind McLean in 78th overall, crossing the line in 33:59.7. Jesus Michel rounded out the Wildcats on the course with a 90th place finish, finishing in 35:20.5.
Keith Carlson of Pacers/GRC New Balance won the meet with a time of 26:08.6 while Philadelphia Runner Track's Paul Matuszak finished second overall in 26:13.4. The Philadelphia Runner Track won the meet with 20 points followed by Lebanon Valley's 80 points and Jefferson's 83 points.
On the women's side, Wildcat freshman Yailynn Ramirez was the eighth NCAA runner to cross the line, finishing in 10th overall with a 6K time of 25:26.7. Jefferson won the women's meet with 57 points followed by Lebanon Valley's 68 points and Felician's 75 points. The Philadelphia Runner Track Club's Maria Seykora won the meet with a time of 23:17.8.
Saturday was a tune-up for the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Championship, as it will also be run on Belmont Plateau in Fairmont Park in Philadelphia. The Championship will be held on Sunday, October 24.