Alumni Sweep - Alum Men Defend Title, Alum Women Claim Crown

(8/31/2008) See more Photos     Full Results

The Tufts Cross Country alumni returned to Grafton, MA, this weekend to take on the current TUXC roster over a hilly 5000-meter course with friendly wagers and immense bragging rights on the line at the 2008 Alumni Run. The performances were impressive all around.

With moderate temperatures but high humidity, the stage was set for faster times than last years scorcher. The alumni, led by former standouts Matt Lacey, Nate Brigham, and recent graduate Dave Sorensen, came out of the woodwork from all over the country by the dozen. This years Jumbos were there to meet the challenge led by All-American returner Jesse Faller and captains Nick Welch and David Tilton.

By days end, it was the alumni team that took the crown for the second consecutive year. The potent 1-2 finish by Lacey and Sorensen led the charge that placed 5 grads in the top 8. Race winner Matt Lacey's time was an unofficial Alumni Run record of 15:40, well ahead of Sorensen's 16:13. Returning champion Nate Brigham ran to a strong 4th place finish in 16:22, 16 seconds off his winning effort in 2007. Sealing the deal for the alums were Matt Fortin in 16:40 for 6th and Brian McNamara running 16:53 for 8th.

The current Jumbos, realizing that more consequential races lay farther down the road in the season, ran conservatively. Juniors Jesse Faller and Nick Welch led the way in 16:18 and 16:26 for 3rd and 5th respectively. Sophomores Jerzy Eisenberg-Guyot and Chris Brunnquell crossed the line in 16:46 and 17:01. Junior Ryan Lena snagged the final scoring spot for the team in 11th as the clock hit 17:06.

On the women's side, it was recent graduate Cat Beck who laid down the dominant performance that won the day in 18:38 over the top undergrad Steph McNamara in 20:32 as the Womens alumni came away with the title to match their male compatriots.

Once the athletes had a chance to catch their breaths, we fired up the barbeque, and the winners and losers were forgotten in the dramatic search for hamburger buns and ketchup.

A big thank you goes out to all of the Alumni who made the trek both to the Grafton course and around its steep, terrain. The graduates and undergraduates will meet again early in January for the second annual Indoor Alumni/Coaches Meet won by last years current Jumbos. Before then, Tufts has a whole cross country season to complete, starting with next weeks race at Trinity against several regional rivals over another hilly 5k at beautiful Wickham Park near Hartford.



See more Photos   Full Results