Cross Country Set to Host and Compete at AMCC Championships

Cross Country Set to Host and Compete at AMCC Championships

ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend men's and women's cross country teams are searching for an Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) championship this Saturday on their home course. The men's team has won the past four AMCC titles while the women are looking for their third crown in the last four years.

The women will begin the championship race at 11 a.m. and the men follow at 12 p.m.

In four races this season, the men have taken second-place finishes at the Behrend Invitational and A Race in the Park hosted by Gannon and Mercyhurst. They also have a fifth-place finish at Roberts Wesleyan and a 22nd place finish out of 32 teams at Oberlin.

Depth has excelled for the Lions this season, having four different runners lead the way in their four races. Dylan Buffington (Brookville, PA/Brookville), Jacob Parsons (Titusville, PA/Maplewood), Josh Natalie (Erie, PA/Collegiate Academy-Strong Vincent) and Devin Beggs (Franklin, PA/Franklin) have all led the way for Berhend. Buffington, Parsons and Beggs have all received Athlete of the Week honors in the AMCC this season.

Beggs led the Lions to the fourth straight AMCC Championship last year with a top time of 27:01 earning him a 1st place overall finish. Behrend runners claimed each of the top five spots in last year's championship race.

The women have earned a third-place finish at Westminster, fourth place finishes at the Behrend Invitational and at A Race in the Park as well as a 17th place finish out of 29 teams at Oberlin.

Junior Rachel Ramsey (North Versailles, PA/East Allegheny) has been the top finisher for Behrend in each of their four races. She has racked up three Top 10 finishes, including a third-, seventh- and 10th place finish. Ramsey has been recognized as the AMCC Runner of the Week four times and has been named ECAC South Runner of the Week once.

At the AMCC Championship last season, Katie Manno (Erie, PA/McDowell) led the Lions with a second-place finish and a time of 24:49. The women are looking to improve on their third place finish from last season and reclaim the crown they held for the two years prior.