BROCKPORT, NY – Led by a trio of top-10 finishers, the University of Rochester men's cross country team opened the 2025 season with a third-place finish at SUNY Brockport's Tom Balon Alumni Classic on Saturday at Sweden Town Park.
 
Sam Cohen secured Rochester's top finish, completing the 5k race in 15:46.6 to earn a fifth-place result, while Liam Sakakeeny finished right behind Cohen in sixth place with a similar time.
 
Joe Berry was UR's third runner to place in the top 10, finishing ninth and clocking in at 15:54.6.
 
Austin Skeete (24th, 16:19.5) and Zach Terrano (25th, 16:20.5) rounded out the 'Jackets top-five runners with two more top-25 finishes, while Jacob Bernd added another top-30 finish, coming in 29th place with a time of 16:24.1.
 
Will Straub was Rochester's second displacer along with Bernd, finishing 36th in the 163-runner field with a time of 16:33.9.
 
Three more Yellowjackets also earned top-50 finishes, with Gus Smith coming in 41st (16:37.5), Trevor Kuhlman placing 44th (16:38.7) and Owen Bernstein notching a 46th-place finish, crossing the finish line in 16:41.7.
 
As a team, Rochester placed third with 64 points in the nine-team field and second among NCAA competitors. The Brockport Alumni Squad took home the team title with 37 points, while RIT placed second with 40 points.
 
Individually, Jared Smith, a Brockport alum, took the top spot with a time of 15:32.1, while RIT's Derick Koen finished second, crossing the finish line in 15:37.8
 
Rochester next hosts the Yellowjacket Invitational at Genesee Valley Park on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 10:00 a.m.