LANCASTER, Pa. – The Franklin & Marshall men's cross country team opened its 2023 season with a strong showing at the F&M Open on Saturday morning. Competing in a field with local alumni, the Diplomats had eight of the top 10 finishers as all 13 members of the team competed in the season opening meet.

Right behind recent graduate Mike Maglione, first-year Donnie Jellig was the team's top finisher in his first collegiate race. He finished with a time of 16:41. Senior Noah Hall also broke the 17 minute mark with a time of 16:43 to finish third.

Six more Diplomats broke the 18 minute mark on the course, as Alfonso Knoll (17:22), Cole Smith (17:44), Alex Miller (17:45), Owen McCann (17:45), and Jake Naddelman (17:58) swept the fifth through ninth positions. Aiden Cotter added a top 10 finisher in his time of 18:12. George Williams (18:22) just missed a top 10 finish, with Chris Mayo (19:15), Nick Trapani (19:29), Holden Brown (19:48), and Jack Kelley (20:11) claiming the 14th through 17th spots in the field.

Men's cross country will be back at Baker Campus for its second consecutive home meet this coming Friday when the Diplomats host the Little Three Invitational against Dickinson and Gettysburg. That race is set to get underway at 6 p.m.