LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Tech men's cross country team took fifth place at the SSC Championships in Lakeland on Friday morning. Ben Peck secured the top freshman award and a top-10 finish. The Panthers top-five finishers averaged a time of 26:43.

The Panthers competed on the same course at Holloway Park to open their season. Their top-five runners averaged a time of 28:04. On the big stage, the Crimson and Gray improved their time by over one minute.

Two Panthers placed in the top-20, clocking in with a sub-26-minute time. Ben Peck led the team, sprinting to a 25:31.40 and 9th overall place.  Peck also led all freshmen in the conference, taking home the top freshman trophy. The last time Niels Buitenhuis competed at Holloway Park, he won the Fire Invitational. This time, the graduate finished in 18th with a time of 25:55.3.

Peck is the highest-placing Panther at the conference meet since Malte Stockhausen finished in fifth back in 2019. It was also the last time Tech had two top-20 finishers.

The rest of the Panthers' top five consisted of Jake Greene, Lachlan McCure, and Tyler Herrera. Green took 47th place with a 27:11.9, while McCure and Herrera just missed the top-50. McCure ran a 27:20.4, and Herrera ran a 27:33.00 for 51st and 56th place, respectively.

Some notable personal records include Luke Aagaard running 29:15.30 and Brycen Haner running 27:54.20. Both also had their highest placement at the SSC Championships.

Men's Top Finishers (Place)
1. Ben Peck – 25:31.40 (9th)
2. Niels Buitenhuis – 25:55.30 (18th)
3. Jake Greene – 27:11.90 (47th)
4. Lachlan McCure – 27:20.80 (51st)
5. Tyler Herrera  – 27:33.00 (56th)
6. Dominic Longobardi – 27:47.50 (60th)
7. Brycen Haner – 27:54.20 (64th) 
8. Jack Schule – 28:38.80 (77th)
9. Alex Larrivee – 28:53.70 (83rd)
10. Luke Aagaard – 29:15.30 (86th)
11. Joshua Fernandez – 31:11.50 (97th)
12. Yash Malik – 31:39.30 (99th)
13. Alvaro Cameo – 32:01.20 (101st)

NEXT UP:
The Panthers get ready for the NCAA South Regional Championships on Saturday, November 9, in Huntsville, Ala.
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