BUFFALO, NY – The Buffalo State men's and women's cross country teams are ready to lace up their spikes for another season. With 14 new faces combined on both sides, the Bengals will look to continue to build on a very promising 2024 campaign.
 
In 2024, the Bengal men raced one of their best seasons in the last decade. As a team, the men finished sixth at SUNYAC Championships; their best finish since they took fourth back in 2012. At the NCAA Regional Meet, the men took home 14^th overall which was also their best finish since 2012. From the beginning of the season until the regional meet, the Bengal men dropped an average of just over two minutes off their season best marks. For the women, the Bengals scored in every meet as they took ninth at SUNYAC Championships. At the regional meet, they took 21^st overall, their highest finish at the regional meet since at least 2007. Overall, the women also saw progress each meet dropping an average of three and a half minutes off their season best marks.
 
Individually, Noah Holden (Clarence Center, NY/Clarence) set the tone as the top Bengal finisher in each meet. Holden had a breakout freshman season earning Second Team All-SUNYAC honors following his 8^th place finish. He was the first male since 2002 to earn All-SUNYAC recognition in cross country. At the regional meet, Holden led the men yet again to a 46^th place finish out of nearly 200 runners.
 
Also among the returning group is Josh Mayer (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott), Sidney Morris (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore East), Nolan Lyon (North Tonawanda, NY/Niagara-Wheatfield), and Jorja Smith (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore East) on the women's side who all posted strong track seasons a year ago.
 
Continued improvement up the conference standings with a supportive and competitive culture is the new standard. Steadily raising the bar each year the goal with the hopes of adding more accolades to a historic running program.
 
The Bengals will open the season tomorrow afternoon as they will race the annual Hilbert Invite.