Cross Country squad finishes 8th in second meet of the season

On Saturday, the Robert Morris Cross Country teams competed in the Furman Invitational in Greenville, South Carolina, where each squad placed eighth among the nine Division I competitors.

The women were led by Marissa Polk, a junior, who posted a time of 22:04.37, which placed her 28th in the field of 94 Division I runners competing in the six-kilometer race. The team earned a score of 233 points.

The men’s team, who collected 244 points, was led by senior Mac Byrne-Houser, who finished 48th, with a time of 25:25.68 on the eight-kilometer course.

Byrne-Houser’s time was quick enough to break the program’s record, which he had previously held. Sophomore Ryan Brown was the second male Colonial runner to cross the finish line in 62nd place, with a time of 25:51.11.

Both teams will compete again on September 28 in the Father Bede Invitational in Loretto, Pennsylvania, hosted by Saint Francis University.