BETHLEHEM, Penn. – Utah State’s men’s and women’s cross country teams each claimed top-four finishes at the 50th Annual Paul Short Run, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. Graduate Camren Todd won the individual men’s Gold 8K race, becoming the fourth Aggie to win an individual championship at the historic event.
The Aggie men placed third in a strong field with a team score of 109 while the women recorded a fourth-place team finish with a score of 160. Both sides eclipsed nationally-ranked squads in the event with the men defeating No. 23-ranked Syracuse and the women also taking down No. 23 Syracuse.
The men were led by Todd, who topped the field with a time of 23:18.8. Graduate Spencer Nelson joined Todd in the top 10, finishing in ninth place with a time of 23:44.8. Freshman Joshua McKee was the second-fastest freshman in the field, placing 14th with a time of 23:51.2. Junior Logan Garnica placed 38th with a time of 24:12.9 and freshman Joseph McKee finished 47th with a time of 24:19.8 to round out USU’s top five finishers.
USU placed third in a field of 44 schools with 109 points, trailing No. 12 Harvard by 14 points. Wingate, the top-ranked team in Division II and reigning national champions, won the Gold 8K race with a score of 30 points.
With his victory, Todd became the fourth Aggie to win the individual championship at the Paul Short Run, joining Dillon Maggard (2017), Alyssa Snyder (2017), and Caleb Garnica (2021). Todd continued his run of success at this event, having finished in third place as a junior in 2022 (23:07.4) and in fourth place as a sophomore in 2021 (23:35.8).
On the women’s side, senior Emma Thornley paced the Aggie effort, finishing in 15th place with a time of 20:27.0. Senior Ana Weaver was the second Aggie finisher, placing 18th with a time of 20:33.2. Senior Mimi Miyazawa finished in 29th place with a time of 20:45.4, followed by sophomore Shelby Jensen in 31st place at 20:46.6. Sophomore Brianne Smith finished out USU’s scoring runners, finishing 72nd with a time of 21:11.3.
The women finished with 160 points as a team to finish fourth in a tight race for the podium, finishing just five points behind third-place Princeton. Connecticut finished in second place with 148 points, and Harvard won the team event with 134 points.
Sophomore Cameron Moore also represented the Aggies well in the women’s Open 6K race, finishing in third place as the lone USU participant with a time of 21:18.1.
In the men’s open race, senior Eric Nelson also recorded a top-10 finish, placing sixth with a time of 24:11.2.
UP NEXT: The Aggies will host their second meet of the season, the Steve T. Reeder Memorial Invitational, on Friday, Oct. 11, at 1:30 p.m. (MT), at the Steve and Dona Reeder Cross Country Course.
For more information on the Utah State track & field/cross country programs, follow the Aggies on Twitter at @USUTF_XC, on Facebook at USUTrack and on Instagram at USUTF_XC.
PAUL SHORT RUN
Goodman Campus Course | October 5, 2024 | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Men’s Team Gold 8K Race Results:
1. DII No. 1 Wingate – 2, 3, 6, 8, 11, (18), (45) – 30
2. No. 12 Harvard – 15, 16, 19, 21, 24, (27), (33) – 95
3. UTAH STATE – 1, 9, 14, 38, 47, (58), (98) – 109
4. Navy – 5, 26, 32, 43, 73, (94), (116) – 179
5. Cornell – 7, 10, 40, 53, 74, (82), (105) – 184
Men’s Top-Five Gold 8K Race Finishers: 1. Camren Todd (USU) – 23:18.8; 2. Hamza Chahid (Wingate) – 23:19.1; 3. Lukas Ehrle (Wingate) – 23:28.7; 4. Dylan Throop (Penn) – 23:31.7; 5. Murphy Smith (Navy) – 23:33.2.
Utah State Men’s Gold 8K Race Results: 1. Camren Todd – 23:18.8; 9. Spencer Nelson – 23:44.8; 14. Joshua McKee – 23:51.2; 38. Logan Garnica – 24:12.9; 47. Joseph McKee – 24:19.8; 61. Jedidiah Megargel – 24:27.9; 101. Michael Moffat – 24:26.1; 226. Brennan Benson – 25:33.2; 285. LJ Floyd – 26:07.2.
Women’s Team Gold 6K Race Results:
1. Harvard – 19, 25, 26, 31, 33, (47), (96) – 134
2. Connecticut – 1, 5, 9, 60, 73, (97), (114) – 148
3. Princeton – 10, 12, 20, 37, 76, (95), (115) – 155
4. UTAH STATE – 15, 17, 28, 30, 70, (78), (79) – 160
5. Northeastern – 3, 11, 16, 91, 110, (130), (147) – 231
Women’s Gold 6K Race Top-Five Finishers: 1. Chloe Thomas (UConn) – 19:23.8; 2. Vera Sjoberg (Boston U.) – 19:56.2; 3. Abigail Hassman (NE) – 20:01.5; 4. Daphnee Lavassas (Miami) – 20:01.7; 5. Jenna Zydanowicz (UConn) – 20:07.2.
Utah State Women’s Gold 6K Race Results: 15. Emma Thornley – 20:27.0; 18. Ana Weaver – 20:33.2; 29. Mimi Miyazawa – 20:45.4; 31. Shelby Jensen – 20:46.4; 72. Brianne Smith – 21:11.3; 80. Natalie Swain – 21:14.7; 81. Caroline Moon – 21:15.2; 95. Sarah Ellis – 21:23.2; 119. Elizabeth Phillips – 21:32.9; 120. Hannah Davidson – 21:33.3.
Men’s Top Five Open 8K Race Finishers: 1. Jacob Nenow (Prin) – 23:51.0; 2. Will Aitken (Wingate)– 23:56.8; 3. Lars Laros (Wingate) – 24:03.0; 4. Marcelo Parra (Prin) – 24:06.4; 5. Luca Poppe (Wingate) – 24:07.3.
Utah State Men’s Open 8K Race Results: 6. Eric Nelson – 24:11.2; 13. Luke Stockett – 24:43.4.
Women’s Top Five Open 6K Race Finishers: 1. Selma Anderson (Syr) – 21:02.9; 2. Madeleine Kg (CPTC) – 21:14.6; 3. Cameron Moore (USU) – 21:18.1; 4. Ava Malagisi (Unattached) – 21:26.3; 5. Peyton Leigh (Prin) – 21:27.9.
Utah State Women’s Open 6K Race Results: 3. Cameron Moore – 21:18.1.
– USU –
