For the first time since 2016, The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) men’s cross country team concluded its season at the NCAA Championships. Competing at the Roger Milliken Center in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the Lions finished 32nd as a team.
Matt Granizo led TCNJ with a 174th-place finish and a time of 25:49.1. Kevin Matthews followed in 206th place (26:04.9), and Moksh Patwari finished 220th (26:10.8). Additional runners for TCNJ included Evan Melito (253rd, 26:32.9), Phil Pace (264th, 26:48.4), and Brandon Chen (281st, 27:12.4). Josh Santiago also competed but did not complete the race.
This appearance at nationals capped off what was described as a historic season for the Lions. During their campaign, TCNJ won its first regional championship since 2005 and secured its first New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) title since 2021. Brandon Chen earned individual honors as both TCNJ’s first regional champion since 2002 and its first individual NJAC champion since 2019.
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