WATERFORD, Conn. — 

Both sides of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy cross country program topped their respective fields at the D3 Challenge, hosted by Connecticut College at Stenger Farm Park in nearby Waterford.

The meet is a light, late-season affair for participating teams' sub-varsity runners on a 5k course. Also competing next to the Bears and Camels were runners from the University of Hartford.

"This is always one of my favorite meets of the year," says Coast Guard head cross country coach Greg Ahnrud, "as it's an opportunity to show off the depth of our roster and for our developing athletes to take priority and have the varsity squad out on the course cheering them on."

Coast Guard's men won their race with 15 points after sweeping the top five spots, with junior London Layton (Crofton, Md.) pacing the field at 15:49. The women's race was a bit closer with Coast Guard besting Conn, 32-35. Senior Kate Stebbins (Chapin, S.C.) crossed in 19:12 to finish as runner-up to a Hartford runner.

"Both the men and women ran well and executed smart races. The course was very soft and wet from all of the rain in the past 24 hours, so I'm really happy with the times people ran," says Ahnrud.

The men took the top five spots to tally their 15 points. Freshman Elliot Baik (Arlington Heights, Ill.) and juniors Sam Myers (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.), Miles Taylor (Cincinnati, Ohio), and Malachi Morris (Chino Hills, Calif.) were the four Bears following Layton, all finishing within a second of each other between 16:07 and 16:10.

Stebbins was followed in the order by freshman Danielle Wierschke (Fairfax, Va.) at 19:26 for 3rd and sophomore Gabrielle Shord (Laurel, Md.) at 19:27 for 4th. Junior Hannah Edwards (Highland Village, Tex.) finished 10th at 19:56, and sophomore Madeleine Spaner (McLean, Va.) rounded out the scorers in 15th at 20:29.

"Our men were roughly tied with Conn at the mile mark but were able to push to the front and separate really well from there," Ahnrud reflects. "Our women's side made some hard-fought passes in the final 1k to get the win on their side."

The cross country program now sets their sites on the Regionals, with the program set to compete in the Mideast races next Saturday, November 14th, at Wickham Park in Manchester, Connecticut. The men were ranked 8th in the most recent USTFCCCA regional rankings, while the women sit in 6th.