Metro Champs! Men's Cross Country Secures 30th Consecutive Nationals Appearance

Photo Courtesy of Chris Taylor

Posted: Nov 11, 2023

LOGAN TOWNSHIP, N.J. - The 27th-ranked Haverford College men's cross-country team captured its third consecutive NCAA Metro Region Championship on Saturday, earning a 30th consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III Championships. The win was Haverford's 26th overall regional title, and the third in as many seasons in the Metro region, established prior to the 2021 season.

Haverford outlasted 25 different squads on Saturday at the DREAM Park of Gloucester County. The Fords placed six runners in the top 30. By virtue of those standout performances on Saturday, those six Haverford runners will pick up All-Region certificates from the USTFCCCA. The Fords scored 78 points, outlasting Rowan (84 points) and TCNJ (91 points) in a close finish. Moravian (98 points) and DeSales (101 points) rounded out the top five teams.

Junior Peter LaRochelle took home the individual title, crossing the finish line in 24:45.1. The individual regional crown from LaRochelle was the second for Haverford in as many years, as Ryan Kredell was the individual champ in the metro a season ago. In total, 14 runners in program history have taken home a regional crown.

Following LaRochelle in 11th place was senior Nathaniel Leighninger. Returning to the regional stage for the second straight season, Leighninger finished in a personal-best 25:16.9, earning All-Metro Region for the second consecutive year.

All-Centennial Conference first-team selection Seamus Fraser added an All-Region certificate to his ledger with a 17th-place performance in a personal-best 25:31.2, while sophomore Micah Lachman (24th, 25:39.2), senior Matthew Denton (25th, 24:40.7), and senior Luca Ponticello (30th, 25:43.6) all earned personal-best times and picked up All-Region certificates for the first time. Junior Reza Eshghi rounded out the Haverford seven with a 63rd overall finish in 26:48.8.

The Fords will now be back in action at the NCAA Division III Championships on Saturday, November 18, at Big Spring High School in Newville, Pa., as the event is hosted by Centennial Conference member Dickinson. The men's 8K national championship is slated to begin at 11 a.m.

The official NCAA selection announcement is expected on Sunday afternoon via an NCAA.com press release.