The Syracuse University distance runners participated in the Valentine Invitational this weekend, a two-day meet that featured the women’s events Friday and the men’s events Saturday.
Lauren Penney competed in the mile run Friday, and was the top finisher for the Orange with a time of 4:41 – good enough for 3rd overall. Heather Stephens and Elizabeth McCarter received times of 4:48 and 4:59 to finish in 8th and 26th place, respectively.
Following the mile, was the women’s 3000-meter run, which featured a host of SU competitors. Natalie Busby (9:33.31), Catherine DeSarle (9:33.31), Sarah Pagano (9:43), Rebekah Mackay (9:51), and Cassie White (9:52) each produced top 25 times. Lauren Kersjes (10:07) and Kimberly Spano (10:15) also competed in the event that included more than 100 runners.
The final event Friday was the women’s 5000-meter run. Carly Hamond finished 15th overall with a time of 17:21, with Erin Cawley (22nd) and Brenna Symoniak (23rd) coming in behind her with times of 17:30 and 17:31, respectively.
The first Saturday event only featured one SU runner in Andrew Nelson. His time of 2:27 in the 1000-meter run was good enough to receive a 7th overall standing in the event.
In the men’s mile, Joseph Bubniak and Corey Robinson were the only runners for the Orange. They ran neck-and-neck, with Bubniak edging Robinson by 14-tenths of a second. They finished 18th and 19th overall.
Just like their female counterparts, the 3000-meter run was a gold mine for SU men. Tito Medrano was the top finisher for Syracuse, finishing 8th overall with a time of 8:12. Robert Molke (19th) and Reed Kamyszek (20th) were next for the Orange with almost identical times. Pat Dupont (8:21, 26th), Andrew Palmer (8:22, 27th), and Steven Weeks (8:23, 32nd) were the next finishers for Syracuse.
The two-day invitational ended with the men’s 5000-meter run, which featured four SU runners. Roman Acosta finished in 7th with a time of 14:25, while Sean Keefe (14:42, 19th), Michael Brocks (14:59, 30th), and David Wilson (15:13, 44th) also competed for Syracuse.
SU’s distance runners will reunite with the rest of the track and field team next Saturday and Sunday as they head to Akron, Ohio for the Big East Indoor Championships.
