KING PARK, N.Y. — The New Jersey City University men's and women's cross teams continued their successful 2021 campaigns today, Saturday, Oct. 16, with solid performances at the 21st annual SJC Invitational, which was hosted by St. Joseph's College-L.I. at Sunken Meadow State Park. The Gothic Knight men earned a third-place finish out of the 23 teams that scored, while the women competed as individuals.

Overall, the men's 8K event was won by Monroe College, a NJCAA program, followed by Divison II St. Thomas Aquinas College in second and the Gothic Knights came in third. On the women's 5K course, STAC placed first, followed by the host St. Joe's-L.I. and then Monroe in third.

Individually, NJCU was led once again by reigning New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Runner of the Week, sophomore Julius Libutsi (Jersey City, N.J./William L. Dickinson). The second-year Gothic Knight placed seventh overall out of 144 runners with a time of 28:51.14. Sophomores Topu Saha (Jersey City, N.J./William L. Dickinson) and Jake Sisk (Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway), along with juniors Jaime Tlatelpa (Jersey City, N.J./University Academy Charter) and Jose Recinos (Union City, N.J./Union City) all placed in the top 40 to earn points toward the team place as well. Saha came in 31st with a time of 31:29.46, followed by Tlatelpa in 34th with a time of 31:46.70. Recinos was right behind in 35th with a time of 31:50.75 and Sisk came in 37th with a time of 31:51.68.

Four other NJCU men competed on the day as well. Senior Fahim Chowdhury (Bayonne, N.J./County Prep) placed 46th with a time of 32:22.37, followed closely by sophomore Erich Fennelly (Stewartsville, N.J./Phillipsburg) in 48th place with a time of 32:59.59. Junior Denilson Lopez (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth) placed 62nd with a time of 33:33.12 and his classmate Adnan Kpodo (Irvington, N.J./Irvington) came in 75th with a time of 35:11.47.

On the women's side, senior captain April Gutierrez (Jersey City, N.J./Dickinson) placed 28th overall in the 5K out of 119 runners with a time of 22:26.62. Junior Tiffany Ortiz (Jersey City, N.J./University Academy Charter) came in 54th place with a time of 25:27.44. Closing out in 78th place was freshman Nyla Boyd (Thomson, Ga./Thomson) with a time of 27:46.79.

What's Next:
This was the final tune-up for both Gothic Knights squads as they each take a week off before competing in the 2021 NJAC Championships, which will be hosted by Stockton University in Galloway, N.J., on Saturday, Oct. 30.