Keating's Personal-Best Time Leads Wildcats To Runner-Up Finish

9/7/2024 4:03:00 PM

By: CONTACT: Mike Miranto, Sr. Associate A.D. for Communications/Operations | 716-839-8385 | mmiranto@daemen.edu

EDINBORO, Pa. -- Sophomore Ethan Keating (Wooster, Ohio) recorded the first sub-21-minute 6K time of his career to lead the Daemen University men's cross country team to a second place finish at the Doug Watts Open hosted today by Edinboro University. The Wildcats placed all five of their scorers among the race's top 30 finishers, totaling 77 points in the team standings.

FULL RESULTS

Keating, who set personal-best times six times last season, picked up where he left off by running the race in 20:51.90 - good for 14th place. It marked the first time in Keating's career that he came in as Daemen's top finisher. He was followed by graduate student Jon Moote (Wilson, N.Y.) who placed 17th with a time of 20:56.66. An All-Region and All-Conference honoree in 2023, Moote was competing in the 21st cross country race of his collegiate career.

Junior Aidan Kincaid (Orchard Park, N.Y.), a Second Team All-Conference performer last season, posted a 20th place finish today with a time of 21:05.52. Sophomore Matthew Strasser (Alden, N.Y.) and senior Steven Blatto (Lancaster, N.Y.) rounded out the Wildcats' scorers, placing 25th (21:40.86) and 28th (21:50.03), respectively.

Slippery Rock University boasted 11 of the race's top 20 finishers, including all five of their scorers in the top 10 to take home team medalist honors. The Rock compiled 21 points to sit comfortably atop the team standings.

Unattached athlete Ward Ries finished as the individual medalist, pacing the field with a time of 19:22.07.

Today's race marked Daemen's first appearance at the Doug Watts Open since 2019 - five years ago to the day - when they placed sixth out of 8 teams.

The Wildcat men come into the year returning 12 runners from their highly successful 2023 team that posted a program-best fourth place finished at the NCAA Division II East Region Championships a year ago. The open the season ranked third in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) East Region poll.

The Wildcats return to racing next Saturday, Sept. 14 when they host the Daemen Alumni Invitational at Williamsville's Bassett Park.

Daemen University features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.

Follow the Daemen University cross country/track and field program on Twitter and Instagram at @DaemenXCTF.

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