Rowan men’s cross country began their 2024 season strong at the Stockton Season Opener on Aug. 30 in Stockton, New Jersey. After finishing second last season in the NCAA Metro Region Championships, the Profs placed in seven of the top eight spots.
Junior Scott Hubbard led the way for the Profs as he placed first (25:23.62). Senior Joshua Cason finished just a second behind Hubbard placing (25:24.17).
Head coach Dustin Dimit stated that Hubbard not only followed the game plan to a tee but did everything that he wanted to see from him.
“We’re real happy he followed the race plan exactly and, closed really hard and that’s what we’d asked him to do that day ran his best time ever,” Dimit said.
Hubbard, who is from Mantua, NJ, set a new personal best with his time. Despite his accomplishments, he credits his team for his first-place finish.
“I think it’s great because competition between teammates is going to just push each person to be better,” Hubbard said.
Along with Hubbard and Cason’s top two finishes, the team was able to get contributions from Colin Patterson (25:27.32), Anthony Faust (26:04.50), Miles Voenell (26:06.39), Caleb Clevenger (26:08.86), and Matthew Conway (26:12.48), who took home fourth through eighth place to round out the seven Profs who secured a top eight finish.
The depth that Rowan displayed during this meet is something that has Dimit excited as the season rolls along.
“One of the reasons that our teams ranked first in the region and nationally ranked right now is because [of] that depth that we have where it’s not just one guy, but multiple guys right behind him that should really help us,” Dimit said.
With the team making a deep playoff push year after year, it may be easy for the runners to get carried away early in the season and run as if it were the NCAAs, but Dimit was happy with the way the team ran on Friday.
“We ran a controlled race, but they followed the race plan,” said Dimit. “That’s the big thing for us is doing what they’re supposed to at that time. So that way, when we’re really running all out by the end of the year.”
The Profs return to action on Friday, Sept. 20 at the Herb Lorenz Invitational at The College of New Jersey.
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