HOPKINTON, N.H. - The University of Maine at Farmington men's and women's cross country teams competed at the NCAA Division III East Regional Championships earlier today and the men's team took home 14th place while the women's team grabbed 24th place.

Men's Highlights

The Beavers were once again led on the cross country course by senior Justin Castaldo (Scarborough, Maine) who finished with an 8k time of 26:31.6 to finish in 56th place individually. The finish from Castaldo was 24 places higher than he finished at the NCAA Regional Championships a season ago. 

Junior Jimmy Reel (Nashua, N.H.) was the 2nd Beaver across the finish line, finishing in 79th place overall with a time of 26:51.2. Reel finished with an average mile time of 5:24.1. Reel finished in 81st place a season ago. 

Just 1.3 seconds behind Reel was sophomore James Riley (Shrewsbury, Mass.) who placed 81st overall with a time of 26:52.5 with an average mile time of 5:24.4. Riley placed 114th overall at the Regional Championships a season ago as a runner for Worcester State. 

Just eight spots behind Riley was senior Luke Bliss (Underhill, Vermont) who placed 89th overall with a time of 27:13.3 and an average mile time of 5:28.5.

Junior Connor Freeman (Bath, Maine) was the fifth Beaver to cross the finish line, posting an 8k time of 27:25.4 and an average mile split of 5:31.0 to place 97th overall. Freeman jumped up 10 spots after finishing 107th last season at the Regional Championships.  

The Beavers' top-five finishers of Castaldo, Reel, Riley, Bliss, and Freeman averaged an 8k time of 26:58, breaking the program record for the fastest average 8k time by two seconds. 

North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Rookie of the Year Ethan Linscott (Lakeville, Maine) placed two spots behind Freeman in 99th. Linscott finished with a time of 27:27.3.

First-year Andrew LaFlamme (Nashua, N.H.O placed 131st overall with a time of 28:32.8 and an average mile time of 5:44.5.

MIT took home the East Regional Championship for the 2nd consecutive year.

Women's Highlights

Rookie Joy Evans (Farmington, Maine) was the 1st Beaver across the finish line, posting a 6k time of 24:19.6 and an average mile time of 6:31.4. Evans placed in 84th place individually.

Junior Anna MacDonald (Bangor, Maine) was the 2nd Beaver to cross the finish line, posting a 6k time of 26:19.1 to place in 130th place. MacDonald finished with an average mile time of 7:03.5.

Sophomore Eve Poteet (Fairhill, Maryland) placed seven spots behind MacDonald, finishing 137th overall with a time of 26:38.7 and an average mile time of 7:08.8. Poteet finished in 138th a season ago.

First-year Abigail MacDonald (Bangor, Maine) came in 151st place with a 6k time of 27:20.2 and an average mile time of 7:19.9.

Senior Sarah Chapin (Readfield, Maine) raced to a time of 30:36.5 to place in 195th place. Chapin's average mile time was 8:12.5. Chapin placed 190th overall a season ago. 

The five Beavers finishers today posted an average mile time of 27:02 to take 24th place, and move up two spots from their 26th place finish a season ago.