ATTLEBORO, Mass. - The Norwich University men's cross country team opened its 2026 campaign on Saturday morning at the Suffolk University Short Course Classic, finishing 12th overall in a deep 18-team field at the Mark Coogan Cross Country Course at Highland Park.

Competing over a five-kilometer course in their first race of the fall, the Cadets totaled 300 points and posted a five-runner team time of 1:29:11.  Norwich averaged 17:51 across its scoring five, with a 2:07 gap separating its first and fifth finishers.

Junior Leo Circosta (Greensboro, Vt.) led Norwich from the front, completing the 5K in 16:39.2 to place 25th overall in the 205-runner field and contribute 21 points toward the Cadets' team score.

Senior Landon Pandolph (Peru, N.Y.) followed as Norwich's second finisher, crossing 60th overall in 17:29.3.  Sophomore Shea Parish (Barrington, R.I.) was next across the line for the Maroon & Gold, clocking a 17:51.2 to take 82nd overall.

Junior Jayquan Boswell (Dallas, Texas) gave Norwich its fourth scorer with an 18:24.9 performance in 106th, while senior Kyle Duffek (Chandler, Ariz.) completed the scoring five in 121st at 18:45.8.  Sophomore Zachary Chastain (Reisterstown, Md.) and junior Matheu Dettenrieder (Tribes Hill, N.Y.) rounded out Norwich's top seven, finishing in 18:53.8 and 18:57.6, respectively.

The Cadets showed encouraging depth behind Circosta, with Norwich's second through seventh finishers separated by less than 90 seconds.  Pandolph, Parish, Boswell, Duffek, Chastain, and Dettenrieder all crossed between 17:29 and 18:58, providing the kind of pack-running foundation the Cadets will look to develop as the race distances increase later in the fall.

"The team had very good efforts for the season opener to shake off the racing rust from last season and to gauge their fitness early in the season," said Head Coach Michael McGrane.  "We had a couple of notable top performances by first-year rook Ava Dillon and junior Leo Circosta, which is exciting to see, and very good pack running potential for our varsity runners.  I'm looking forward to the next meet in two weeks when we move up in the distance."

New Hampshire captured the team title with 21 points after placing five scoring runners inside the top seven, while Babson College finished second with 85 and Wentworth Institute of Technology took third with 110. Babson junior Nick Yacoub claimed the individual crown in 15:30.4.

MEN'S LEADERS:

• Junior Leo Circosta (Greensboro, Vt.)
  • 25th, 16:39.2
• Senior Landon Pandolph (Peru, N.Y.)
  • 60th, 17:29.3
• Sophomore Shea Parish (Barrington, R.I.)
  • 82nd, 17:51.2
• Junior Jayquan Boswell (Dallas, Texas)
  • 106th, 18:24.9
• Senior Kyle Duffek (Chandler, Ariz.)
  • 121st, 18:45.8
• Sophomore Zachary Chastain (Reisterstown, Md.)
  • 129th, 18:53.8
• Junior Matheu Dettenrieder (Tribes Hill, N.Y.)
  • 133rd, 18:57.6

Norwich will return to competition in two weeks, when the Cadets will move up in distance for their second meet of the 2026 campaign, traveling to St. Lawrence University for the Hoffman Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 12:00 p.m.