The men and women of Cross Country competed at the Stony Brook Invitational this past Saturday, and while it’s too early to make any bold predictions regarding how the team will fare this season, it is clear that certain members have the ability to rise to the occasion on any given course.

The men were not able to post a team score given that only four runners competed, but those who did performed admirably in a field that was holistically won by Stony Brook University’s 27 points. Quinnipiac University won the women’s side with 33 points, but the women of Fordham finished fourth out of seven teams and showed the kind of promise that could evolve as the season progresses.

Senior Steven Zucca placed 11th in the 6k course with a time of 19:12.10. The senior was last year’s team MVP and has begun what could be his final collegiate year with a more than respectable outing.

Graduate student Colin Flood took 22nd overall thanks to a time of 19:34.80. Additionally, sophomores Darren Croke and Anderson Baker placed 39th and 56th with times of 20:37.30 and 22:46.60, respectively.

Fordham’s women were led by junior Caitrina Barton who finished 25th with a time of 15:05.70. Graduate students Mary Kathryn Underwood and Alexandra Thomas were not far behind. They placed 36th and 40th with times of 15:25.70 and 15:32.80, respectively.

Seniors Marin Bogulski, Maddy Kopec, Molly Mulvaney and Clodagh McGroary, juniors Caroline McDonagh, Madeleine Ryan and Helen Moloney and sophomore Alexis Smith also competed at the invitational, and were all within the top 70 finishers in a field of 74.

Cross Country will continue their campaign on Saturday, Sept. 9 when they host the Fordham Fiasco at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx.