Way to go, Hawks!
Hunter College’s cross-country track teams dominated the 2024 CUNYAC Championships, with the women’s team winning its 10th straight title and the men’s its fourth.
The championships were held at Van Cortlandt Park in The Bronx on October 27.
For Hunter’s women, it marks the program’s conference-record 21st overall cross-country championship. The women’s team finished with 28 points as it placed five runners in the top 10.
For Hunter’s men, it marks the program’s conference-record 19th overall cross-country championship. The men’s team finished with 38 points as it placed three runners in the top five.
From Left: Women's and Men's team celebrating their championships.
Among the women, Wendy Montiel was Hunter's top-finisher placing second overall with a time of 26:21.6 in the women's 6K race. Shannon Ferri and Touka Medjoubi also finished in the top five, with Ferri placing fourth with a time of 28.07.2, just ahead of Medjoubi at 28:11.3.
Immediately after was freshman, and two-time Rookie of the Week honoree, Michelle Cesar, who took sixth overall, clocking in at 28:16.5 just ahead of Samantha Suriel who crossed the tape at 28:29.6, to round out top-10 finishes for the Hawks.
Emma Kilroy was Hunter's next finisher in 13th overall with a time of 30:19.9. Irving Jiang placed 18th, followed by Bella Hubbard in 19th in 30:56.8 and 31:12.3, respectively, rounding out scorers for the Hawks.
Hunter’s Mateo Penafiel was the men’s cross-country individual champion, finishing the 8K race in a time of 28:06.8. Melvil Badier finished fifth for Hunter with a time of 29:57.9. Alexander Niyazov (32:16.3, 14th) and Hengzhi Zhu (32:49.3, 17th) rounded out the Hawks’ top five.
