Cobleskill, NY – The SUNY Cobleskill men's and women's cross country teams are set to compete at the 2026 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Cross Country Championships on Saturday, October 31, at Fortin Park in Oneonta, NY. The championship meet will begin with the women's 6K race at 11:00 a.m., followed by the men's 8K race at 12:00 p.m.
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Women's Championship Preview
On the women's side, the Fighting Tigers return four runners from last year's SUNYAC Championship squad that earned a seventh-place team finish. With a mix of championship experience and promising newcomers, Cobleskill will look to put together a strong team performance over the 6K course.
Leading the way for the Tigers is junior
Gabrielle Waite (Pulaski, NY), who has consistently set the pace for Cobleskill throughout the fall. After placing 22nd at last year's conference championship, Waite enters this year's meet looking to move up the leaderboard following an impressive regular season. She captured her second career individual victory at the Hartwick Invitational and added a runner-up finish at the SUNY Delhi Bronco Invitational, establishing herself as Cobleskill's frontrunner heading into the postseason.
Joining Waite among the returning championship competitors are
Gillian Miner (Saranac, NY) and
Madison Binette (Lewiston, ME), who finished 53rd and 56th, respectively, at last year's meet. Fellow returner
Isabella Baier (McKinney, TX) adds another experienced presence to the lineup as the Tigers look to improve their individual placements and strengthen their scoring pack. Newcomers
Brooke Yurkovich (Elizabeth, PA),
Natalie Toher (Canajoharie, NY) and
Mackenzie Scully (Woodbury, CT) will each make their SUNYAC Championship debuts on Saturday. The trio will aim to contribute valuable team points and help Cobleskill put together a competitive showing in the conference field.
Men's Championship Preview
On the men's side, the Fighting Tigers enter the championship with a youthful lineup featuring five newcomers and two returning runners from last year's squad that finished 10th overall.
Michael Jocz (Syracuse, NY) and
David Kogan (Brooklyn, NY) return with valuable conference championship experience and will look to provide leadership as the Tigers tackle the 8K course against a competitive SUNYAC field.
First-year standouts
Aiden Pettit (Corinth, NY) and
Reid Starks-Swotkewicz (Schoharie, NY) have emerged as Cobleskill's top runners throughout the season and will look to lead the Tigers' charge on Saturday. Pettit has recorded two top-10 finishes this fall, providing a consistent presence near the front of the Cobleskill pack. Starts-Swotkewicz has been equally impressive, earning two top-five finishes, highlighted by a runner-up performance at the Hartwick Invitational. Both will look to carry that momentum into their first conference championship appearances.
Transfer
Hunter Johnson (Union Dale, PA) has also put together a solid first season in Orange & Black and will aim to factor into the Tigers' scoring five. Fellow newcomers
Julian Brito (Brooklyn, NY) and
Lucas Walz (Baldwinsville, NY) will make their SUNYAC Championship debuts as Cobleskill looks to keep its scoring pack close together and improve upon last year's team finish.
With a combination of emerging talent and returning experience, the Fighting Tigers will look to deliver strong performances across both races as they compete for conference honors.
Championship Starting Box Assignments
Men's 8K – 12:00 p.m.
| Box |
Team |
| 1 |
Plattsburgh |
| 2 |
Potsdam |
| 3 |
SUNY Delhi |
| 4 |
Cortland |
| 5 |
Oneonta |
| 6 |
SUNY Cobleskill |
| 7 |
Alfred State |
| 8 |
Oswego |
| 9 |
Fredonia |
| 10 |
Morrisville |
| 11 |
Buffalo State |
| 12 |
SUNY Canton |
Women's 6K – 11:00 a.m.
| Box |
Team |
| 1 |
Oneonta |
| 2 |
Buffalo State |
| 3 |
Fredonia |
| 4 |
SUNY Canton |
| 5 |
Morrisville |
| 6 |
Cortland |
| 7 |
Alfred State |
| 8 |
SUNY Delhi |
| 9 |
Potsdam |
| 10 |
SUNY Cobleskill |
| 11 |
Plattsburgh |
| 12 |
Oswego |
