PRESQUE ISLE, Maine - The University of Maine at Farmington men's and women's cross country teams traveled to Presque Isle, Maine this afternoon to participate in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championship preview meet. Presque Isle is the host of the 2023 NAC Championship. The men's team finished 1st overall, with five runners medaling. The women's team finished 2nd overall, with three women bringing home individual medals.
Women's Meet Highlights
One week after placing 1st overall in her 1st collegiate race, Joy Evans (Farmington, Maine) backed up that performance with another strong one, placing 2nd overall to lead the Beavers on the course. Evans finished the 6k course in 25:39.8, the 17th fastest 6k in program history. Evans also finished just 2.5 seconds behind 1st place, Ava Dowling of Husson University.
For the 2nd consecutive weekend, sophomore Eve Poteet (Fairhill, Maryland) medaled. After finishing 3rd last weekend at the Ron Ouellette Invitational, Poteet placed 6th overall on UMPI's 6k course. Poteet finished with a time of 28:15.3.
Junior Anna MacDonald (Bangor, Maine) finished just four seconds behind Poteet, placing 7th overall to bring home her own individual medal. MacDonald finished with a time of 28:19.3, medaling in her 2nd consecutive race.
First-year Abigail MacDonald (Bangor, Maine) placed inside the top-15, finishing 15th overall with a time of 31:27.2. Senior Sarah Chapin (Readfield, Maine) finished just four places behind MacDonald, posting a time of 34:26.9.
The Beavers totaled 49 place points in their 2nd place effort. Husson took 1st overall as a team, finishing with 26 points.
Men's Meet Highlights
The Beavers men's cross country team had a massive day on the course, placing six inside the top-eight with five individuals medaling en route to their 1st place finish.
Senior Justin Castaldo (Scarborough, Maine) took home 2nd place, improving upon his 3rd place finish from a week ago. Castaldo finished the 8k course with a time of 28:18.4, just 9.5 seconds behind 1st place. Maine Maritime's Ponce Saltysiak placed 1st overall with a time of 28:09.9.
Jimmy Reel (Nashua, N.H.), Andrew LaFlamme (Nashua, N.H.), James Riley (Shrewsbury, Mass.), Luke Bliss (Underhill, Vermont), and Ethan Linscott (Lakeville, Maine) placed 4th through 8th respectively. Reel raced to a time of 28:36.4, just 1.4 seconds out of 3rd place. LaFlamme, fresh off from being named the NAC Rookie of the Week, finished just 1.7 seconds behind Reel, posting a time of 28:38.1. Riley from 6th place, finished just 3.2 seconds behind LaFlamme, finishing with a time of 28:41.3. Bliss finished with a time of 28:49.4 to take 7th. Reel, LaFlamme, Riley, and Bliss all medaled for the Beavers.
Linscott narrowly missed a medal, placing in 8th with a time of 29:02.8.
Connor Freeman (Bath, Maine) placed 12th overall, posting a time of 30:39.4.
The Beavers finished with 24 place points to secure their 2nd victory of the season.
UP NEXT
The Beavers next meet is September 30th as they travel to Husson University to compete in the Maine State Championship.
