2025 NJAC CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
PITMAN, NJ --- The chase for the NJAC men’s cross country crown returns to Galloway on Saturday, where Stockton University will host the conference championship meet on its home course. Seven programs will toe the line in pursuit of conference supremacy and all-conference honors, with Rowan seeking to extend its run of dominance after three straight NJAC titles. Standing in the Profs’ path are nationally ranked TCNJ, along with a deep field that includes Stockton and Ramapo also in the regional top 10 and a slew of individual performers looking to shake up the all-conference teams.
Kean
The Cougars enter the championship off several strong team showings, highlighted by a victory at Delaware Valley’s Green & Gold Invitational. Eldon Reynoso and Jonathan Rivera have traded top-runner honors throughout the fall, with Reynoso, Rivera, and Angel Alarcon placing 6th-8th-10th at the St. Joseph’s Invitational. Rivera and Alarcon led the way again at Delaware Valley, finishing 7th and 8th respectively, as Kean captured the team title.
Ramapo
Ramapo delivered its best collective outing of the year at the Metropolitan Championships, where the Roadrunners finished seventh overall as the only Division III team in a largely Division I field. Ryan Pena, a two-time NJAC Runner of the Week, placed in the top 10 individually and continues to pace the team. Ramapo is aiming for a finish in the 3-4 team range with Pena expected to contend near the front of the conference field.
Rowan
The Profs remain the team to beat after claiming three straight NJAC titles. Rowan finished third at the Osprey Open and ninth at the Border Battle, both deep invitational fields. Matthew Conway (Week 6 Runner of the Week) clocked the fastest NJAC performance at the Paul Short Invitational (25:13), while Colin Patterson (Week 1 Runner of the Week) opened the season with a lifetime-best 25:14 at Salisbury. The Profs’ depth and big-race experience position them well for another championship run.
Rutgers–Camden
The Scarlet Raptors put together an impressive campaign that included a seventh-place team finish at the Osprey Open in a 16-team field. Leading the way is Jacob Dinerman, who won the Osprey Open with a season-best 25:07—the fourth-fastest 8K in program history. A two-time NJAC Runner of the Week, Dinerman gives Camden a front-running threat capable of mixing it up with the league’s best.
Rutgers–Newark
The Scarlet Raiders enter the weekend led by Carlos Delgado, who has been Newark’s top finisher at three meets this season: the Cougar Chase, Highlander Invitational, and NJIT Challenge. The Raiders opened the fall with a fourth-place finish at the Herb Lorenz Invitational hosted by TCNJ, establishing consistency and depth across their scoring five.
Stockton
The host Ospreys have shown steady progression all season, highlighted by their performance at the Paul Short Run, where the squad ran significantly faster than a year ago. Three men broke 27 minutes, and all six top runners outpaced last year’s No. 3 finisher. Joey Addeo improved by nearly two minutes to dip under 27 for the first time. At the Border Battle, Conor Clifford (25:45 SB) and Josh Corsentino (sub-26 PR) led the way, while freshman Muhammad Khan posted the fastest rookie time at Dream Park (27:16). The Ospreys will look to leverage home-course familiarity for a podium push.
TCNJ
The nationally ranked No. 30 Lions enter as the top-ranked team in the Metro Region after a standout season. Their best performance came at the Connecticut College Invitational, where TCNJ finished 12th in a field featuring 12 nationally ranked teams. Senior Brandon Chen earned program-record honors with a 24:32 all-time and all-course mark at Conn College, rebounding after a tough Paul Short outing. TCNJ will contend for both the individual and team titles, aiming to reclaim the NJAC crown from rival Rowan.