MILTON, N.Y. — The New Jersey City University men's and women's cross country teams competed at their respective Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships on Saturday, Nov. 6. The Gothic Knight men took home a fourth-place finish in the 8K event, while the NJCU women placed seventh on the 6K course.

Overall, the men's team championship was won by Vassar College, while Paden Spencer of Pratt Institute took home the individual crown with a time of 27:39.70. For the Gothic Knights, sophomore Julius Libutsi (Jersey City, N.J./William L. Dickinson) once again led the pack with a 13th-place finish in a time of 29:19.20. Junior Jaime Tlatelpa (Jersey City, N.J./University Academy Charter) came in 19th place overall out of the 71 runners to finish the course, posting a time of 29:57.80.

Another Jersey City sophomore in Topu Saha (Jersey City, N.J./William L. Dickinson) was the next-best finisher for the squad. He came in 23rd overall with a time of 30:29.70. Junior Jose Recinos (Union City, N.J./Union City) was next in 26th with a time of 31:13.90, followed closely by sophomore Jake Sisk (Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway) in 28th with a time of 31:20.00. Two more sophomores rounded out NJCU's day in Erich Fennelly (Stewartsville, N.J./Phillipsburg) and Elvis Rosas (West New York, N.J./Memorial). Fennelly posted a time of 32:10.70 to come in 37th, while Rosas placed 45th with a time of 32:43.30.

On the women's side of things, St. Joseph's College-L.I. took home the 6K team title, while Bridget Lapham of FDU-Florham won the individual title with a time of 26:26.60. For the Gothic Knights, senior captain April Gutierrez (Jersey City, N.J./Dickinson) took 22nd place overall out of the 67 runners on the day, finishing with a time of 28:42.70.

Behind her was junior Tiffany Ortiz (Jersey City, N.J./University Academy Charter) in 27th place with a time of 29:43.90. Freshman Nyla Boyd (Thomson, Ga./Thomson) crossed the finish line with a time of 32:13.80 to place 37th. Junior Arame Diouf, who spent her Fall season with women's soccer, made her cross country debut and placed 49th with a time of 34:01.20. Junior Polina Agutina (Evaptoria, Ukraine/Number 6), who makes her names as a jumper in the Spring, rounded out the runners for Jersey City by placing 52nd with a time of 34:04.60.

Up Next:
The Gothic Knights will next compete next Saturday, Nov. 13, at the NCAA Division III Metro Regional Championships, which are being hosted by Rowan University at Dream Park in Logan Township, N.J.