BOSTON – Suffolk cross country puts on its hosting hat this weekend for the Suffolk Invitational Saturday, Oct. 15 at Franklin Park. The outing will not only serve as final prep for the upcoming 2022 CCC Championship, but will also pit the Rams against their Beantown foes Emerson in the Battle for Boston Commons. The women's 6k begins the event at 1:30 p.m., with the men's 8k following an hour later. All the action can be followed live here.
SOCIAL SAYINGS
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LAST TIME OUT [ MEN ]
In a pre-regional race, Suffolk men's cross country put on a show as nearly every Ram notched a personal record en route to a third-place performance at the Bowdoin Invitational Sept. 24.
MORE READING: Men's Cross Country Soars to Third at Bowdoin Invitational
LAST TIME OUT [ WOMEN ]
Suffolk women's cross country put on its best showing of 2022 so far with a third-place performance at the Bowdoin Invitational Sept. 24.
MORE READING: Women's Cross Country Runs to Third at Bowdoin Invitational
INVITATIONAL INFORMATION
Suffolk has hosted the Suffolk Invitational at Franklin Park since 2018. The event features a women's 6k as of 2021 and a men's 8k.
Tyler Morris of Colby rewrote the men's best 8k mark at the event in 2021 with a time of 24:38.0, while Ari Marks holds the women's 6k top time of 21:58.9, also recorded last season. Prior to 2021, the women ran a 5k.
BATTLE FOR BOSTON COMMON
Since 2018, Suffolk and Emerson have raced one another for bragging rights in the Battle for Boston Common. The Rams, both men and women, have been presented with the trophy in each year the Beantown neighbors have battled.
In 2021, Suffolk cruised past the Lions. The men won, 15-47, while the women took a 26-30 victory.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
- 1:30 PM – Women's 6k
- 2:30 PM – Men's 8k
- 3:30 PM – Open 5k
- 4:15 PM – Award Ceremony
THE COURSE
Franklin Park has turned into a familiar run for Suffolk. The partially-wooded 527-acre parkland in the Jamaica Plain and Roxbury neighborhoods of Boston is maintained by the Department of Conservation and creation.
The park is a famed cross country course, hosting countless high school and collegiate meets through the year. Franklin Park is home to the Massachusetts All-States Meet, as well as the Northeast Division I Northeast Regional Championship on occasion and was the location for the 2021 NCAA Division III East Regional Championships, hosted by Suffolk. The park includes courses for 5,000 meters, 6,000 meters, 8,000 meters and 10,000 meters.
THE FIELD
Suffolk will be joined by 28 teams at Franklin Park Saturday afternoon. Among the competition are familiar CCC foes Endicott, Gordon, University of New England and Wentworth. Division I locals Boston University and Northeastern will be featured on the course as well.
On the men's side, Plymouth State, ranked 10th in the east region, will be in attendance, as well as UMass Dartmouth and Southern Maine, both of whom have received votes in the regional polls this season.
For the women, UNE, currently ranked 10th in the East, will headline the field, along with Keene State, who has been in and out of the regional polls this season.
RAMS RUNDOWN
The meet will serve as a critical tune-up before the CCC Championship in two weeks, Saturday, Oct. 29. It is the final regular-season meet and will provide an opportunity to compete against some of the top teams in the conference with teams like Boston University, Northeastern and regional ranked competition in the mix to push the Rams.
RANK AND FILE [ MEN ]
For the third consecutive week, Suffolk men's cross country is ranked seventh in the east in the latest U.S. Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Regional Rankings, the national organization announced.
MORE READING: Men's Cross Country Holds on to Seventh in USTFCCCA Regional Rankings
RANK AND FILE [ WOMEN ]
Suffolk women's soccer appeared ninth in the East in the week 5 edition of the U.S. Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association regional rankings, the national organization unveiled.
MORE READING: Women's Cross Country Stays Ninth in East Region in USTFCCCA Poll
COW BELLS
Souvenir cow bells will be handed out to fans in attendance that bring a canned food item to benefit the Suffolk CARES Pantry.
WHAT'S AHEAD?
Suffolk take a week off before it competes for conference glory at the CCC Championships Saturday, Oct. 29 at Rotary State Park in Biddeford, Maine.