After an up-and-down 2023 campaign that saw strong individual performances but disappointing team-level results at the America East level, the Binghamton men’s cross country team will look for continued growth in the 2024 season.
For most meets in 2023, the score sheets for the Bearcat men were a tale of two runners — senior Josh Stone and graduate student Ryan Guerci. The duo brought home several individual medals for the squad during the campaign, with their strongest performance as a tandem being a respective 1-2 podium sweep at the Canisius Alumni Classic. This trend carried into the AE conference meet, with Stone running a 24:31.20 to capture bronze and Guerci placing seventh with a time of 24:46.90 as both secured all-conference first-team honors. However, as a whole, the Bearcat men finished just fourth overall on the team side. While the depth on the squad was made up of some consistent upperclassmen, the remainder of the roster often fell more towards the middle and back of the pack in meets.
Heading into 2024, 25th-year head coach Annette Acuff will have the luxury of continuing to rely on team ace Stone, who enters his fifth year as a Bearcat as one of the outright favorites for the AE men’s cross-country crown. But if the team is to match the pace that Stone brings to the table in terms of team results, Acuff will need to draw the best out of her underclassmen runners. With several key pieces like Guerci graduating, the team’s real X-factor lies in sophomores Liam Cody, Luke Miklus and Tim Smith who all flashed potential at various times last year to be consistent contributors for BU. Strong seasons from those three as well as the new additions to the roster will likely result in strong results come conference time.
BU will kick off this season at the Colgate/Harry Lang Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 31. First race is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the Harry H. Lang Cross Country Course in Hamilton, New York.