Seahawks eighth in CCC; Rancourt named senior scholar-athlete
BRISTOL, R.I. – Salve Regina met one of its season objectives in the Commonwealth Coast Conference Cross Country Championship on Saturday, with all five scorers breaking 30 minutes for 8,000 meters for the first time this fall. It took two personal-best times and four season-best marks for the team to reach its goal.
Junior Aidan Lynch (Little Silver, N.J.) led the way for the Seahawks with a season-best time of 28:32.2. The captain, who was slowed by illness earlier in the season, was within 10 seconds of his personal best at the championship distance.
Seniors Brett Jutras (East Bridgewater, Mass.), Tanner Owens (Long Beach, N.Y.), Chandler Da Cruz (Middletown, R.I.) and Riley Rancourt (Warren, R.I.) completed the scoring. Owens and Da Cruz cruised to their career-best times for 8,000 meters, while Rancourt ran his fastest race since 2016.
Rancourt was also voted as the CCC Senior Scholar-Athlete for men's cross country. A double major in Political Science and Administration of Justice, Rancourt had the highest grade point average among the athletes nominated for the award. He is the second Seahawk in program history to earn the conference's scholar-athlete award. Jay Brennan '17 shared the honor in 2016.
Jacob Hickey of the University of New England claimed the individual championship – and led his team to the conference championship – with a commanding performance. The junior raced to the finish line in 24:50.6, more than a minute clear of his next closest competitor. Anthony Chase, also of UNE, was second at 26:00.1.
The Nor'easters stormed into the lead on the opening loop of the trails at Colt State Park, running 1-2-3 overall after the first through the woods. The frontrunners from Wentworth and Nichols were in pursuit, with each team placing its first three runners among the top 15 at an unofficial split point.
The fourth and fifth runners from UNE would improve their position in the second and third loops of the trails, giving the Nor'easters enough breathing room to claim a convincing win. UNE took the title with a score of 38. Wentworth was second with 76. Nichols was third with 82. Salve Regina finished eighth overall.
The Salve Regina performances included:
39. Aidan Lynch – 28:32.2
53. Brett Jutras – 29:19.5
54. Tanner Owens – 29:19.8
59. Chandler Da Cruz – 29:25.5
65. Riley Rancourt – 29:41.5
77. Jake Simpson – 30:50.5
80. Jay Burstein – 31:01.1
85. Brendan Clancey – 31:28.1
91. Brendan Kelly – 32:16.8
The Seahawks conclude their fall racing campaign in the NCAA Division III New England Regional Championship at Bowdoin College on Saturday, Nov. 16.
