HAMILTON, N.Y. – Behind a 1-2-3 finish from Murphy Smith, Sam Keeny, and Alexander Kirkland, the Navy men's cross country team won its third consecutive Patriot League Cross Country Championship on Saturday morning at the Harry H. Lang Cross Country Course on the campus of Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y.
 
"Every year has some turbulence to overcome and I'm very pleased with what our team has achieved," head coach Aaron Lanzel stated after the meet. "It certainly is fun to watch Murphy at his new level as a competitor. He was in control of every moment in his race today. Sam has taken a more indirect route to get back to his top form, and as our captain he made it clear he will find a way to be there. I almost take Alexander for granted he has been so consistent, but also so good, to have a 1, 2, and 3 like these men is intimidating."
 
The Midshipmen finished the 8K race with a team-low score of 37 points to win the meet. Army was second with 50 points, while Boston University was third with 56. Bucknell (126 points) and Lehigh (129) rounded out the top five with American (148), Colgate (215), Loyola (244), Lafayette (256), and Holy Cross (270) closing out the team scores.
 
"There were some big efforts from other teams today that really gave them momentum," Lanzel continued. "I know our 4, 5, and 6 were not fully satisfied, but Jackson, Luke and Ben made sure they were where they needed to be for the team. It's never easy, and a win with some adversity is always a little sweeter."
 
For the third consecutive season, Lanzel was named Patriot League Coach of the Year.
 
Smith was the individual medalist, clocking a season-best 8K time of 24:27.4. The junior, who was the Rookie of the Meet in 2021, earned Patriot League Runner of the Meet honors with his first-place finish.
 
Keeny, the senior team captain, was second overall with a time of 24:46.3, while Kirkland was third, crossing the finish line at 24:48.5. The trio of Smith, Keeny, and Kirkland were all named First Team All-Patriot League. The accolade marked the third consecutive season that Keeny has earned first-team distinction, while it was the first all-conference honor for both Smith and Kirkland.
 
At the first checkpoint at 1,000m, Navy was in third place with 63 points, just two points back of BU for second. Keeny was third individually with Smith and Kirkland in eighth and ninth in the first 1K. Through the second marker at 2,355m, the Midshipmen shaved 21 points off of their team score to move into second place. The pack of Kirkland (5th), Keeny (6th), Smith (7th), and Luke Nester (9th) were all positioned in the top 10 at the second checkpoint. The Mids remained in second place with 42 points through 3,360m with Kirkland and Smith moving into second and third, respectively. Through 5K, Navy moved into first place, cutting nine points off of its team total for 33 total points. Smith, Kirkland, and Keeny crossed the marker in order, 1-2-3, to pace the field. The trio remained first, second, and third across the finish line to lead the Mids to victory.
 
Jackson Nguyen and Nester finished back-to-back in 15th and 16th, respectively. Nguyen posted a time of 25:22.6, while Nester was half a second back with a time of 25:23.1. Ben Countiss (25:35.6) and Sam Moultrie (25:43.9) rounded out Navy's top seven finishers with a 21st- and 23rd- place finish.
 
Joe Reimann (25:52.8), Carson Sloat (26:18.5), Owen Ahten (26:22.2), and Zack Poekert (27:10.8) also competed for the Midshipmen.
 
Both Navy teams will have two weeks to prepare for the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional, hosted at Lehigh at the Goodman Campus Cross Country Course in Bethlehem, Pa. on Friday, Nov. 10.
 
Team Results
1. Navy – 37
2. Army – 50
3. Boston – 56
4. Bucknell – 126
5. Lehigh – 129
6. American – 148
7. Colgate – 215
8. Loyola – 244
9. Lafayette – 256
10. Holy Cross – 270
 
Navy Top 7
1. Murphy Smith – 24:27.4
2. Sam Keeny – 24:46.3
3. Alexander Kirkland – 24:48.5
15. Jackson Nguyen – 25:22.6
16. Luke Nester – 25:23.1
21. Ben Countiss – 25:35.6
23. Sam Moultrie – 25:43.9