GETTYSBURG, Pa. – The Franklin & Marshall men's cross country team was the top finishing Division III team at the Gettysburg Invitational on Saturday. The meet served as the team's final preparations for the Centennial Conference Championships and the Diplomats should enter that meet with momentum on their side after Saturday's results where F&M place fourth overall as a team.

All five of F&M's scoring runners placed amongst the top 50 runners in the field of 181 finishers. Sophomore Noah Hall led that contingent with a personal-best time of 26:41.0 to place 24th overall. Hall was the only Diplomat to break the 27 minute mark on the challenging course and helped F&M defeat regionally-ranked Bridewater (Va.) (No. 10 South) and DeSales (No. 6 Metro).

Alfonso Knoll (27:00.7) and Alex Miller (27:06.1) were within seconds of each other in the 31st and 33rd positions. Connor Ashnault (27:31.5) and Mike Maglione (27:35.7) were 44th and 48th, respectively, while Alex Fillman (27:54.3) and Jack Emrey (28:00.6) finished in back-to-back positions to round out the top seven Diplomats. Emrey's time was a personal best for the senior.

Twelve Diplomats took the starting line on Saturday, with Dan Gaiewski (29:25.6), Owen McCann (29:27.1), Holden Brown (31:03.7), Nick Trapani (31:12.4), and Jake Naddelman (31:12.1) also taking on the 8,000 meter course. Brown and Trapani both turned in personal best times with their finishes.

Following a strong close to the regular season, the Diplomats now turn their attention to the postseason where they will return to action on Saturday, October 29 at the Centennial Conference Championships. The women's race will get things started at 11 a.m. that day, with the men's 8K race to follow at 12 p.m.