Cross Country Readies for UMass Dartmouth Invitational

BOSTON – Coming off a week's rest, Suffolk's men's and women's cross country teams are set for the 48th UMass Dartmouth Invitational Saturday, Sept. 18. The Rams converge on Dartmouth, Massachusetts, with the men's five-mile run is set for an 11:15 a.m. start with the women's 5k wrapping things up at 12:00 p.m.

SOCIAL SAYINGS
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SUFFOLK ATHLETICS 2021-22 FAN POLICY
Suffolk University Athletics, following guidance from the University's health and safety protocols, Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), Centers for Disease Control and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, plans to allow fans to attend home athletic contests during the 2021-22 academic and athletic year.

Fans, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, can attend games. They must be masked the entire time they are on campus, pursuant to institutional policy, and complete a health screening form at the security desk of each building upon arrival. This policy applies to home contests played on campus at the Ridgeway Building's Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court, as well as the Emmons Horrigan O'Neil Memorial Rink and the Louis E. Porrazzo Memorial Skating Rink.

For outdoor outings, specifically at East Boston Memorial Park, fans are asked to respect COVID safety protocols. At this time, masks will not be mandated for fans no matter vaccinated status at outdoor venues.

MORE READING: Suffolk Athletics Announces Fan Policy for 2021-22

LAST TIME OUT [ MEN ]
The Suffolk men's cross country team lifted the lid on its 2021 campaign with a third-place finish at the Rams' Short Course Classic Friday afternoon at Franklin Park. 

MORE READING: Men's Cross Country Takes Third in Season-Opening Short Course Classic 

LAST TIME OUT [ WOMEN ]
With a Rams' rookie heavy roster, the Suffolk women's cross country team opened the 2021 campaign with a fifth-place finish at its own short Course Classic Friday afternoon. 

MORE READING: Women's Cross Country Places Fifth at Short Course Classic 

INVITATIONAL INFORMATION
The UMass Dartmouth Invitational, an annual event in its 48th year, is run on the Corsairs Robert Dowd Course and is the biggest early season race in New England. 

THE HEATS
Four different heats will race mid-morning to early afternoon. 

Competition commences with the junior varsity men's five-mile run at 10:30 a.m. with the men's varsity five-mile run's gun firing 45 minutes later. The women are scheduled for a varsity 5k at 12 p.m. with the women's junior varsity event concluding the action at 12:45 p.m. 

THE COURSE
Suffolk will be racing across the Corsairs campus as both the women's 5k and the men's five-mile are filtered through the woods surrounding the athletic facilities of UMass Dartmouth. 

THE FIELD
Runners from every NCAA Division are headed to Dartmouth, Massachusetts this Saturday. Over 40 squads will be represented in the fielding including the Rams' Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) counterparts Nichols, Roger Williams, the University of New England and Western New England. 

COACH'S QUOTE
Will Feldman on the men's upcoming weekend …
"It will be a great chance to see how we stack up against other ranked schools in the region. WPI, Brandeis, Southern Maine and Babson will be the main competition to really see where things stand in the region for the men. Roger Williams our main rival for a conference title will also be a major motivation as the team looks to establish itself as the favorite for a conference championship his fall."

Will Feldman on the women's upcoming weekend …
"We will be without our number two runner for another week, but it's a chance for the team to continue to grow in her absence. University of New England and Roger Williams are our two biggest rivals within the conference and we are focusing our efforts this week on extending our lead of the Hawks and surpassing the Nor'Easters. We're not trying to run PRs this week, but rather run a strategic race with the goal of beating UNE." 

RANK AND FILE
One week into the 2021 Suffolk men's cross country season, the Rams' program has made in's inaugural debut on the U.S. Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) regional rankings as the national organization unveiled in an announcement made Tuesday afternoon. In the week 1 edition of the weekly coaches' poll, the blue-and-gold appeared in the top 10 in the East.

MORE READING: Men's Cross Country Earns First-Ever USTFCCCA Regional Ranking 

RAMS RECOGNITION
Matyas Csiki-Fejer of the Suffolk men's cross country team has added more hardware to his already full shelf as the senior captain was tabbed Commonwealth Coast Conference Runner of the Week for his efforts at the Short Course Classic, the league office unveiled.  

MORE READING: Csiki-Fejer Named CCC Runner of the Week 

SCHEDULE SHUFFLE
Suffolk men's and women's cross country's 2021 slate has been updated by head coach Will Feldman.

The Rams will no longer be competing at Lehigh's Paul Short Invitational Friday, Oct. 1. Instead, the blue-and-gold will race at the Mike Woods Invitational hosted by Geneseo at the National war Plane Museum in Geneseo, New York, Saturday, Oct. 2.

Suffolk will then take a break the following week instead of running at Westfield State's James Earley Invitational Saturday, Oct. 9.

MORE READING: Cross Country Adjusts 2021 Schedule 

WHAT'S AHEAD?
Suffolk will have two weeks to prep for its next outing, the Mike Woods Invitational at the National Warplane Museum in Geneseo, New York.