ALBANY, N.Y. - The UAlbany cross country teams are set to begin the five-race 2025 season.
 
With new and returning runners in 2024, both the men's and women's team improved upon their championship finish from 2023. Jed Elmbarki led the men's team with a top 20 finish while Skyler Smith finished 15th to lead the women. Recent graduate, Katie Iocca, completed the race right behind Smith for two women in the top 20 at the 2024 America East Championship.
 
On the men's side, the Great Danes welcome back a wealth of talent including two scorers from the 2024 AE Championship - Elmbarki and junior Nikolas Christian. Sophomores Devin Finn, Mikolaj Gancarz, Jerry Lewis, and Connor Hashim join upperclassmen Isaac Graber and Steve Hines in filling out the returning student-athletes. Head coach Matt Jones brought on Benjamin Jones, a transfer from Middle Tennessee State, and freshmen Shane LaFountain, Vincent Pitre, and Owen Stachlik to fill out the roster.
 
On the women's side, UAlbany's leading AE Championship runner Skyler Smith returns for her senior season. Full of talent, Scarlett Rose, Hannah Steiner, and Bonnieta Supaul round out the senior class. Cara Mastan returns for her sophomore season while Coach Jones welcomes six new distance and middle-distance runners for the 2025 season. With a class of four freshmen - Aiva Pinches, Olivia Snodgrass, Rakae Thomas, and Arianna Verardi - and one graduate transfer, Jaymee Yelton, the women's team is full of new Great Danes.
 
2025 AMERICA EAST PRESEASON POLL
For the first time, the America East Conference released a preseason poll voted on by the coaches of the teams that make up the league.
 
The UAlbany women were selected to finish seventh in the conference. New Hampshire was voted first with six first-place votes while Bryant, Binghamton, and UMass Lowell rounded out the top four - each with a single first-place vote. Maine and Vermont earned fifth and sixth place, respectively, while UMBC and NJIT were voted eighth and ninth behind UAlbany.
 
The UAlbany men were voted to finish eighth in the conference. UMass Lowell claimed the top spot with eight first-place votes. Binghamton was voted second with 52 points and Maine right behind with 50 points, including one first-place vote. UMBC and New Hampshire tied for fourth while Vermont (sixth) and Bryant (seventh) rounded out the teams voted ahead of the Great Danes. NJIT closed out the league's poll.
 
SCHEDULE
The Great Danes look to prepare for the America East Championship, hosted this year by New Hampshire, with a variety of both new and familiar courses. 
 
For the third consecutive season, UAlbany will begin the season at the Marist Invitational in Poughkeepsie. Heading to a new course, the team will compete in the Jasper Invitational at Twin Ponds.
 
After an America East Championship course preview with the Hopkinton Cross Country Festival, the Great Danes will compete in the IC4A/ECAC race at Van Cortlandt Park.
 
The regular season will conclude at the AE Championship in New Hampshire with the chance to extend the season at the NCAA Northeast Regional - both races being contested at the Hopkinton Fairgrounds. 
 
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