Men’s Cross Country round out their season with a first–place finish
By Mykah Moreland, Sports Reporter
The Canisius cross country teams hosted the Canisius Alumni Classic at Delaware Park on Saturday, Oct. 17. The race was the last regular season meet of the 2026 fall season before the cross country teams head to the Metro Conference Championships.
The men’s cross country team claimed victory over the 13 competing teams, with a combined total of 70 points. The men just nearly beat Detroit Mercy, who finished in second with 71 points, while Main Street rival University at Buffalo claimed third place with 85 points.
Junior Nathaniel Fisher yet again paced the men’s team in the 8K event, clocking in a time of 24:18.5, which placed him on the podium in a field of 139 competitors. Fisher was followed by sophomore Daniel Granville, who claimed 8th place (25:45.5), and junior Joseph Capuzzo, who took 11th place (25:46.6), cementing the Griffs' top three performers first–place team finish.
On the women’s side, Canisius alumna Jacqueline Appenheimer earned first place among the 122 runners, crossing the line with a time of 17:44.1. Appenheimer was an accomplished runner during her time as a Griff, taking home silver in the 2025 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Indoor Track and Field Championships, and was part of two historic relay teams that broke program records.
As for the women’s current cross country team, the Griffs claimed fifth place of the 12 teams competing with a total of 155 points. Detroit Mercy secured first with 45 points while Buffalo took second place with 53 points. Metro Conference and local foe Niagara rounded out the top 3 with 73 points.
Sophomore Clara Sundberg led the Golden Griffins in the 5K with a time of 19:11.0, placing 21st of 122. The race marked Sundberg’s second consecutive year leading the Blue and Gold at the Alumni Classic, improving on last year's time of 19:40.8.
Sundberg was followed by freshman Emily Priset, another underclassman who has displayed prowess this season. Priset placed 24th with her time of 19:12.5 as she continues to be a top finisher for the Griffs. Senior Mia Servis completed Canisius’ top 3 finishers with her time of 19:27.1, placing 30th.
The Canisius cross country teams will show off their talents one more time this season when they compete in the season finale at the 2026 Metro Championships in Middletown, N.Y. on Oct. 31.
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