ONEONTA, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State men's cross country team begins postseason action at Fortin Park in Oneonta on Saturday, October 31, for the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Championships. The men's 8,000-meter race is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m., as the Cardinals look to capture their first SUNYAC title since 1997.

Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Nathan Petesch enters his second season after leading the men's team to an eighth-place finish at the SUNYAC Championships in his debut season. With the Cardinals' highest finish in the last 10 years being fifth, Petesch and his staff will look to climb the standings with an experienced roster featuring a veteran group of seniors and a solid core of underclassmen who have gained valuable experience throughout the season.

SUNYAC Championship History:
Former SUNYAC member Geneseo, now competing in the Empire 8, holds the conference record with 21 men's cross country titles. Cortland ranks second with 16 championships, followed by Fredonia with eight. Plattsburgh and UAlbany, now competing at the Division I level, are tied for fourth with five titles as the Cardinals look to capture their sixth overall conference championship.

2025 SUNYAC Championship Snapshot:
Plattsburgh finished eighth with 212 points, led by senior Zander Brown (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham), who paced the team with a 48th-place finish, crossing the line in 28:05.1. Brown is the only returning member of Plattsburgh's scoring five from last year's championship.

Cortland captured the team title last season with 60 points, followed by Fredonia with 67 points. The Blue Devils were led by returning individual champion and SUNYAC Men's Cross Country Runner of the Year Stephen Hallberg.

New Paltz placed third with 81 points, while Buffalo State finished fourth with 87, led by a third-place performance from Ricky Curiel. Curiel returns for his sophomore season after earning SUNYAC Men's Cross Country Rookie of the Year honors. Delhi finished fifth with 108 points, followed by Morrisville in sixth with 163.

Coach's Insights:
"The men have really taken a step forward this year, both in strength and in their ability to execute," said Petesch. "It's been exciting to feel that momentum. Championship time is about continuing to work together and competing for something bigger than yourself."

Player's Insights:
"Competing at the SUNYAC Championship means a lot to me because I missed all of last cross country season. The team and I have come a long way since then," said sophomore Brennan Muecke. "I'm super excited, and I think that we have a real shot of proving ourselves to be a competitive team in the conference."

Inside The Nest:
Plattsburgh State has been paced all year by the one-two punch of Brown and graduate student Samuel Van Auken (Greenville, N.Y./Greenville), who have finished as either the first or second runner for Plattsburgh in all but one race this season.

Brown and Van Auken have shared the front of the lineup throughout the fall, with Brown leading the Cardinals in two races and owning the team's fastest 8K time of the season. He placed 55th at the Connecticut College Invitational in 26:39.5, competing in a highly competitive field featuring three nationally ranked programs. Van Auken has also led the way in two races and dipped below 27 minutes at Connecticut College, while recording his best individual finish of the season at the Ronald C. Hoffmann Invitational, placing 38th.

Junior Brody Serfass (Endwell, N.Y./Maine Endwell) has scored in all four races and lowered his 8K personal best in each of his three 8K races this season, providing consistency as the Cardinals' third runner. His continued improvement gives Plattsburgh another option near the front of the lineup, as he looks to close the gap on Brown and Van Auken. Sophomore Brennan Muecke (Bemus Point, N.Y./Maple Grove) and first-year Sean Dormann (Saranac, N.Y./Saranac) have also contributed to the scoring five, with Muecke scoring in three races and Dormann joining the top five in each of the last three races. Their continued contributions will be important as the Cardinals look to strengthen their scoring lineup and lower their overall team time.

Sophomore Bryton Mandigo (Hartford, N.Y./Hartford) joined the scoring group in the Cardinals' final regular-season race and has consistently challenged for a spot among the team's top seven, putting himself in position to break into the scoring five. Senior Matthias Lauvau (Rye, N.Y./Rye Neck) has also been a consistent presence in the top seven and will look to crack the scoring lineup, bringing valuable championship experience to the back of the Cardinals' lineup.

Maintaining a tight spread among its scoring runners on Saturday will be key to lowering the Cardinals' team score. The team's depth will also be important, as strong finishes from first-years Myles Hoffman (Medway, Mass./Medway) and Everett Probeck (Glenmont, N.Y./Bethlehem Central) could help Plattsburgh gain an advantage over opposing teams.

Senior Nate Alexander (Marcellus, N.Y./Marcellus) and sophomores Griffin Leary (Pearl River, N.Y./Clarkstown South) and Sean Rose (Peru, N.Y./Peru Central) will also be part of the Cardinals' lineup on Saturday.

The Road Ahead:
The SUNYAC Championships are just the first stop, as Plattsburgh will return to action 13 days later for the NCAA Division III Mideast Region Championships on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Wickham Park in Hartford, Conn., hosted by Trinity College.