MIDDLETOWN, Conn. — 

The United States Coast Guard Academy men's cross country team outscored the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Wesleyan University's Cardinal Invitational on Saturday, earning a point for USCGA towards the 2026-27 Superintendents' Trophy. On the women's side, sophomore Kevyn Fish (Pittsburgh, Pa.) won the 6 km race in commanding fashion.

Coast Guard's two wins over Merchant Marine on the day gives the Bears a three-point lead (3-0-2) in the 2026-27 USAA Superintendent's Trophy standings The year long standings can be followed HERE.

The women's team opened the day by placing 3rd in the 6k, with Fish crossing the line a whole seven seconds ahead of the runner-up. The sophomore's time of 21:40 was a big personal best as she outran some of the top runners in the region. Fish is now the sixth-fastest 6k runner in program history. The Bears' second finisher was senior Annabel Molner (Bremen, Germany), who posted a personal record time of 22:19.6 for 10th place, moving her up to the top 20 in program history.

Junior Brooke Hunter (Phillipsburg, N.J.) was 15th overall at 22:31.5. Senior Mia Mastrogiovanni (Manahawkin, N.J.) and sophomore Amanda Delevan (Boiling Springs, Pa.) were the fourth and fifth Bears to cross the finish, doing so with respective times of 22:37.1 for 19th and 22:49.4 for 24th, as both runners moved around the top 20 with personal bests.

"We probably won't have a national ranking coming out of the weekend, in part because of how strong the region is and the lack of interregional results," says head coach Greg Ahnrud, "but this helps lay the foundation for a national ranking if we do well at Paul Short and Conn College."

Freshmen Quin Kelly (North Reading, Mass.) and Izzie Copeland (Kirtland, Ohio) rounded out the Bears scorers, with Kelly running 23:06 for 29th and Copeland going 23:12.4 for 31st. "Their times are some of the best freshman times we've ever had," raves Ahnrud. "I can only think of five or six ladies who have been faster in their 4/c years." Kings Point did not have a full squad for the women's race, and the Bears saw 13 runners finish ahead of the top Mariner.

The men's race ended with the Bears taking 6th in a strong nine-team field, which included three nationally-ranked teams in the top four: #20 Amherst College, #17 Wesleyan, and #12 Washington and Lee University. Finishing first for the Bears with a banner day was senior harrier Brendan Fant (East Lyme, Conn.), who ran 24:54.3 to place 6th overall and tie the Coast Guard all-time 8k record, set by CGA Atheltic Hall of Famer Ian Bartonicek '03 in 2000.

"Cross country had a great day across the board at Wesleyan. With Brendan tying the program record, and Kevyn winning a very competitive women's meet, boh of them are establishing themselves as some of the top individuals in the region," says Ahnrud.

Freshman Jake Hanson (Lexington, Ky.) continued to build a strong debut season, running 26:02.3 for 35th. "He's one of our fastest 4/c ever," says Ahnrud. Sophomore Evan Rimmele (Red Bank, N.J.) posted up at 26:15.9, taking 46th with a nearly two-minute personal best. Also shaving off big time from their PR was junior London Layton (Crofton, Md.), whose 26:24.4 for 53rd shaved off 90 seconds.

Right behind Layton, in 54th, was sophomore Dylan Reed (Tampa, Fla.), who kept the big gains going for Coast Guard with his time of 26:25.7, a two-minute personal best. Freshman Cornelius Cummings (Annville Township, Pa.) ran 26:51.7 for 68th. "Breaking 27:00 as a 4/c is fantastic," remarks Ahnrud. Junior Miles Taylor (Cincinnati, Ohio) wrapped up the men's team's top-7 at 27:01.8 for 71st, a PR by 11 seconds. Kings Point finished 9th in the men's meet, with five Bears beating their #1.

"Even past our top individuals, we saw a solid majority of our returners setting personal bests today, and many of our freshmen hitting times not often seen from freshmen, much less so in their first ever 6k or 8k," Ahnrud says. "There is still a lot of work and progress to go, but we are in a great spot for this point in the season.

Coast Guard cross country will get a couple of weeks off to recover and prepare for the Paul Short Run on October 2nd, one of the biggest interregional meets on the calendar.