MADISON, Wis. – At the marquee meet of the 2024 regular season, Harvard cross country impressed, as both the women's and the men's teams earned top-25 finishes at the Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course, the site of the 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championships.

With 561 points, the Crimson women finished in 22^nd place in the 6k race, as four student-athletes finished in the top-125. The men, ranked No. 20 in the latest United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Coaches' Poll, made a statement in the 8k race, taking 10^th place with 327 place.

The defending NCAA Men's Cross Country National Champion, senior Graham Blanks finished in second place out of 247 runners, as the Athens, Georgia native and three-time USTFCCCA Cross Country All-American finished the race in 22:40.5 in his season debut. On the women's side, junior Penelope Salmon also made her 2024 season debut, as she posted a team-best 98^th place finish.

HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS:

• After holding the 140^th position after the first 2,000m, a great finish from Salmon propelled her into the top-100, as the Auckland, New Zealand native crossed the finish line in 20:36.4 for a 98^th place finish.
• Three Harvard runners joined Salmon in the top-125. Senior Ellaney Matarese orchestrated a 112^th place showing (20:41.7), as senior Zoe Cooper (115^th/20:43.8) and senior team captain Annelies Quinton (120^th/20:45.8) contributed to the Crimson point tally.
• A 2023 All-Northeast Region selection, senior Ella Gilson rounded out the Crimson scoring, taking 126^th place with a time of 20:49.0.
• On the men's side, all six of the Crimson's scorers finished in the top-125 at Pre-Nationals, collecting 327 points for a tenth place showing.
• Blanks ran with the lead pack for almost the entirety of the 8k race, as he finished in second place with a time of 22:40.5. Last season, Blanks finished in first place at the Zimmer Championship Course for the 2023 Nuttycombe Invitational.
• Junior Shane Brosnan enjoyed an excellent day in the midwest, as he took 47^th place (23:28.9). Along with Brosnan, sophomore Ferenc Kovacs recorded a 64^th place showing (23:38.4).
• Senior Ben Rosa (105^th/23:55.9) and sophomore Charlie Ortmans (109^th/23:59.1) added the final points to the Crimson's tally.

UP NEXT:

Harvard begins the postseason in the Garden State on Saturday, Nov. 2, as Harvard competes at the 2024 Ivy League Heptagonal Cross Country Championships.

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