Cross Country Hosts Suffolk Invite, Battle for Boston Common Saturday

BOSTON – After a year hiatus, Suffolk's cross country now annual event, the Suffolk Invite, is set to take place this Saturday, Oct. 16 at Franklin Park. This year's event is the largest event in the three-year history with over 1,000 athletes competing across four different heats from 40 different programs. The outing will also serve as the Battle for Boston Commons, a head-to-head race that pits the Rams against their Beantown rival Emerson. Fans can follow along with live results, here.

SOCIAL SAYINGS
Ram Nation has a chance to keep up with all the latest news and notes on Suffolk Athletics, its student-athletes and teams by following the Rams on  Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Fans are encouraged to use the hashtag #RamNation a behind-the-scene look at Suffolk Athletics.

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 ]
Suffolk men's cross country finished 21st at one of the most competitive cross country meets in 2021, Geneseo's 40th Mike Woods Invitational at the National Warplane Museum.   

MORE READING: Men's Cross Country Races at Geneseo Mike Woods Invitational

LAST TIME OUT [ WOMEN ] 
Suffolk women's cross country turned in a 16th-place showing at the 40th Mike Woods Invitational Saturday afternoon at the National Warplane Museum.   

MORE READING: Women's Cross Country Finishes 16th at Mike Woods Invitationa 

INVITATIONAL INFORMATION
Suffolk has hosted the Suffolk Invite at Franklin Park since 2018. The event features a women's 5k and a men's 8k. Rams are the record holders of the invitational, both of which were set in 2019, with Matyas Csiki-Fejer's 8k time of 26:03.7, and Emily Manfra's 18:39.0 performance in the 5k. 

MORE INFO: Suffolk Invite 

BATTLE FOR BOSTON COMMON
Since 2018, Suffolk and Emerson have raced one another for bragging rights in the Battle for Boston Common. The Rams, both the men and women, have been presented with the trophy in each year the Beantown neighbors have battled.  

In 2019, Suffolk's cruised past the Lions. The men won, 19-44, while the women took a 19-36 victory. 

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

• 1:30 PM -- Navy Women's 6K (Varsity)
• 2:15 PM -- Navy Men's 8K (Varsity)
• 3:00 PM -- Gold Women's 6K (JV)
• 3:45 PM -- Gold Men's 8K (JV)
• 4:30 PM -- Award Ceremony 

THE COURSE
Franklin Park has turned into a familiar run for Suffolk. The partially-wooded 527-acre parkland in the Jamaica Plain and Roxbury neighborhoods of Boston is maintained by the Department of Conservation and creation.  

The park is a famed cross country course, hosting countless high school and collegiate meets through the year. Franklin Park is home to the Massachusetts All-States Meet, as well as the Northeast Division I Northeast Regional Championship on occasion and will be the location for the 2021 NCAA Division III East Regional Championships, hosted by Suffolk. The park includes courses for 5,000 meters, 6,000 meters, 8,000 meters and 10,000 meters. 

THE FIELD
Over 40 programs will converge on Franklin Park this Saturday, Oct. 16.  

The men's 8k is set to be a highly competitive race with five NCAA Division III currently ranked in the East Region in No. 3 Colby, No. 6 Babson, No. 7 Bowdoin, No. 9 Suffolk and No. 10 Southern Maine, along with Dartmouth and Harvard from the Ancient Eight.  

The women's 6k field is a talented bunch with four squads in the top 10 of the NCAA Division III East Region in No. 6 Colby, No. 7 Wellesley, No. 8 Bowdoin and No. 9 Wheaton. Several runners will look to earn individual bids to the 2021 NCAA Championships as well Saturday afternoon.  

RAMS RUNDOWN [ MEN ] 
The Rams will look to solidify their top 10 regional ranking with head-to-head wins over Plymouth State and Southern Maine. Suffolk will also get its first look at CCC counterpart Gordon, who has potential to be a factor at the conference championships. The blue-and-gold looks to take a statement win of the Fighting Scots prior to running for the league title at the end of the month. 

Senior Matyas Csiki-Fejer, will be facing his toughest competition yet, as he aims to secure the win, his second straight. Suffolk's senior has never finished lower than the invite's runner up and is currently the event's 8k record holder with a time of 26:03.7, which he clocked in 2019.  

RAMS RUNDOWN [ WOMEN ] 
Saturday will serve as a good CCC Championship for Suffolk's women, who races against CCC foe Gordon for the first time. Rachel Brennan leads the Fighting Scots and will be the biggest challenge for the Rams top runners, Sydney Fogg and Gwen Koziara, at the end of the month. The blue-and-gold's sophomore and freshman will also look to punch their individual ticket to NCAAs at the event. 

RANK AND FILE
Suffolk men's cross country remained ninth in the east latest addition of the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Regional Rankings, the national organization announced. The Rams, who made the program's debut in the initial poll of the 2021 Sept. 14, has remained in the top 10 in the East over the last five weeks. 

MORE READING: Men's Cross Country Holds on to Ninth in USTFCCCA Regional Rankings 

RAMS RECOGNITION
Matyas Csiki-Fejer of the Suffolk men's cross country team and Gwen Koziara from the Rams' women's program each picked up weekly Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) honors Oct. 4 thanks to their performances at the 40th Mike Woods Invitational Oct. 2. Csiki-Fejer collected his third runner of the week nod, while Koziara earned her third weekly recognition of the year, second rookie of the week distinction.  

MORE READING: Csiki-Fejer Tabbed CCC Runner of the Week | Koziara Tabbed CCC Rookie of the Week 

WHAT'S AHEAD?
Suffolk will run for conference glory Saturday, Oct. 30 at the CCC Championships in Springfield, Massachusetts.