BETHPAGE, N.Y. (Sept. 4, 2026) - The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy men's cross country team started off the 2026 season with a bang on Friday afternoon at the Adelphi Panther XC Invite at Bethpage Polo Park. The Mariners finished sixth out of 18 teams in a competitive field of Division I, II, and III programs and first among Division III and Skyline Conference competitors at the event. The Blue and Gray also finished ahead of Division I programs LIU and Hofstra, along with Division II competitor Molloy, while finishing 96 points ahead of rival SUNY Maritime, the closest Division III and Skyline Conference competitor in the standings.
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Sophomore Cooper Johnson (Honolulu, Hawaii) led the way for the Mariners, finishing 38th with a time of 28:21.8. Classmate Caden Davis (Katy, Texas) followed with a time of 28:36.8 and freshman Steven Kirschner (Rudyard, Mich.) crossed the tape in 28:59.3.
Sophomores Enois Maceira (Monroe Township, N.J.) and Arjun Suresh (Plainsboro, N.J.) came across with times of 29:06.0 and 29:18.6. Graduate student Ben Anastasoff (Litchfield Park, Ariz.) crossed the finish line in 29:57.7 and senior Pierce Murray (Meridian, Idaho) finished with a time of 30:03.2.
The Mariners return to action next Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Purchase College Invitational at 9:30 a.m. in Purchase, N.Y.
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