LAKELAND, Fla. - The Panther men's cross country team opened their 2024 season with a statement of intent on Saturday morning at the Fire Invitational, held at Holloway Park.
Florida Tech finished on top out of the four teams that competed with an average time of 28:04.
Niels Buitenhuis was the first to the finish line in the 71-runner field with a time of 27:07.20. His teammate
Ben Peck was next across the line with a time of 27:11.70., while
Tyler Herrera (28:13.00) secured the Crimson and Gray's third top ten finish, taking ninth place.
Lachlan McCure (28:47.80, 12
th),
Jake Greene (28:56.00, 13
th),
Jack Schule (29:08.90, 17
th),
Dominic Longobardi (29:24.90, 19
th) and
Brycen Haner (29:30.30, 20
th) all secured top 20 finishes.
This was Tech's first team and individual victory since October 12, 2017, when Tucker Melles took first place at the Panther Invitational.
Men's Top Finishers (Place)
1.
Niels Buitenhuis - 27:07.90 (1
st)
2.
Ben Peck - 27:11.70 (2
nd)
3.
Tyler Herrera – 28:13.00 (9
th)
4.
Lachlan McCure – 28:47.80 (12
th)
5.
Jake Greene – 28:56.00 (13
th)
6.
Jack Schule – 29:08.90 (17
th)
7.
Dominic Longobardi – 29:24.90 (19
th)
8.
Brycen Haner – 29:30.30 (20
th)
9.
Alex Larrivee – 30:20.50 (32
nd)
10.
Luke Aagaard – 30:38.60 (36
th)
11.
Joshua Fernandez-Alvarado – 31:45.80 (43
rd)
12.
Yash Malik – 32:08.80 (47
th)
13. Alvaro Cameo – 37:07.40 (64
th)
NEXT UP:
The Panthers will lace up their running shoes next on Saturday, September 21
st at the Embry-Riddle Cross Country Classic in Daytona Beach.
For the latest news, updates, and information on the Florida Tech men's cross country team, visit FloridaTechSports.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Panthers news by following Florida Tech Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.