MIDDLEBURY, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College men's cross country team earned its second consecutive runner-up finish on Saturday at Middlebury College's Aldrich Invitational. Men's senior Braden Butler (South Berwick, Maine/Marshwood) placed fourth and women's sophomore Jersey Miller (Minneapolis, Minn./Saint Louis Park) took eighth in a field dominated by Middlebury runners.
 
TEAM RESULTS

• The Purple Knight men claimed second among five schools with 58 points, trimming third-place Clarkson University (60). On the women's side, Saint Michael's was third (63) out of four, trailing Clarkson by a single point.
• The Purple and Gold men were eighth in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) East Region poll, while the women were fifth.
• Both Middlebury squads, each ranked 25th in the USTFCCCA Division III national poll, won on Saturday. The women netted the minimum 15 points and the men collected 17.

MEN'S LEADERS

• Butler
  • 4th of 46 finishers in 8K, 26:35.2
  • 4th career top-5 finish
• Junior Andrew Scanio (Lake Placid, N.Y./Lake Placid)
  • 11th, 27:38.6
• First-year Pierce Coughlin (Oakland, Maine/Messalonskee)
  • 14th, 27:47.2 (PR)
• Junior Adam Bilodeau (Lewiston, Maine/Lewiston)
  • 21st, 27:57.1
• First-year Josh Pelletier (North Andover, Mass./North Andover)
  • 22nd, 28:11.5 (PR)
• Sophomore Andrew Cole (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland)
  • 27th, 28:51.7
• Sophomore Cooper Brennan (Wilton, N.Y./South Glens Falls)
  • 23rd, 28:32.0

WOMEN'S LEADERS

• Miller
  • 8th of 43 finishers in 5K, 24:31.5
  • 5th career top-10 finish
  • Lone non-Middlebury student-athlete among top 18 finishers
• Junior Rylee Burnham (Hartland, Vt./Hartford)
  • 27th, 26:46.2 (PR)
• Junior Kayley Bell (Caribou, Maine/Caribou)
  • 30th, 27:11.6
• Senior Jocelyn Sommers (Dalton, Mass./Wahconah Regional)
  • 31st, 27:18.2
• Sophomore Jordan Munro (Holliston, Mass./Holliston)
  • 32nd, 27:21.2
• Junior Meredith Reilly (Ashland, Mass./Ashland)
  • 33rd, 28:57.7
• First-year Torrey Hanna (Addison, Vt./Vergennes Union)
  • 34th, 29:59.4

NEXT SAINT MICHAEL'S MEET

• Sept. 27 as host of the Equality Invitational.
• The unique event features 8K races for all genders.
• The men's race begins at 10 a.m. before the women kick off at 11 a.m.