HOPKINTON, N.H. - The Norwich University men's cross country team continued its march toward the championship portion of the 2026 season on Friday afternoon, placing fourth overall at the Hopkinton Cross Country Festival - College/Open division, hosted at the Hopkinton Fairgrounds.
Competing in its fourth race of the fall, Norwich totaled 100 points in an 11-team scoring field, finishing behind Franklin Pierce University, Saint Anselm College, and Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) foe Saint Joseph's College of Maine. The Cadets posted a five-runner team time of 2:24:17, averaging 28:52 across the scoring group with a 2:18 gap separating their first and fifth finishers.
Junior Leo Circosta (Greensboro, Vt.) again set the pace for the maroon and gold, completing the 8K in 27:27.7 to place 11th overall. Circosta has now led Norwich across all four meets this fall, continuing a consistent junior campaign at the front of the Cadet lineup.
Senior Landon Pandolph (Peru, N.Y.) followed as Norwich's second finisher, crossing 19th overall in 28:27.7 to give the Cadets two runners among the top 20.
Norwich then received a tightly grouped stretch from its next three scorers.
Junior Jayquan Boswell (Dallas, Texas) finished 27th overall in 29:12.3, while sophomore Zachary Chastain (Reisterstown, Md.) followed three places later in 29:23.5.
Senior Kyle Duffek (Chandler, Ariz.) completed Norwich's scoring five in 34th overall with a 29:45.4 performance. Only 33.1 seconds separated Boswell, Chastain, and Duffek across the Cadets' third through fifth scoring positions.
Junior Matheu Dettenrieder (Tribes Hill, N.Y.) was next across for Norwich, placing 41st in 30:55.8, while freshman Paulo Coello (San Pedro Sula, Honduras) rounded out the Cadets' top seven in 43rd with a 31:06.1 clocking.
"The Norwich XC teams competed very well today with some good competition on a fast course," said Head Coach Michael McGrane. "We're finally hitting our stride after some early season illnesses and injuries. I'm really proud of the women today with very good packing running. Our 2nd through 5th scoring runners were only 15 seconds apart with Ava leading with a top 15 finish. On the men's side, Leo continued to perform well with a new personal best and just missing a top ten finish. The men were also strong with their pack running keeping it tight between our 3rd through 7th scoring runners. Overall, good improvement with a short rest from the meet just five days earlier."
Norwich also received finishes from freshman Levi Jones (South Londonderry, Vt.), sophomore Alexander McBride (Chapel Hill, N.C.), Anthony Palmeri (Alfred, Maine), freshman Austin Savee (Chesapeake, Va.), sophomore Soren Tassmer (Higganum, Conn.), and junior Samuel Estey (Yardley, Pa.) as 13 Cadets completed the course.
Franklin Pierce claimed the team championship with 34 points after placing five scorers among the top 15 overall finishers. Saint Anselm followed with 76 points, while Saint Joseph's took third with 80, leaving Norwich just 20 points behind the Monks.
UMass Boston junior Albert Ferreras won the individual race in 26:04.6, while Circosta finished as the ninth scoring runner and 11th overall competitor.
Friday's performance came only five days after the Cadets placed second at the Colby-Sawyer Maslan Cross Country Invitational & GNAC Preview. With back-to-back races now complete, Norwich will have one final regular-season tune-up before turning its attention toward the GNAC Championships.
MEN'S LEADERS:
Norwich will close the 2026 regular season on Saturday, Oct. 17, traveling to Springfield, Mass., for the Golden Bear Festival, hosted by Western New England University at Southwood Field. The men's race is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.
The Cadets will then turn their full attention toward the GNAC Championships, returning to Colby-Sawyer College and the Morris Trail on Sunday, Nov. 1.
