NEWARK, N.J. (Oct. 8, 2023)--The Morgan State men's cross country team returned to action on Saturday after a 13-day layoff and placed eighth out of a 31-team field at the NJIT Highlander Challenge, hosted by New Jersey Institute of Technology. Morgan State finished the 8K race with 208 points on a rainy afternoon at Branch Brook Park.

Army captured the team title with 57 points, followed by West Chester (76 points) in second place and Georgian Court placing third (120 points). Mitchell Burr of Army won the individual title, finishing the course in a time of 25:03.7.

Morgan State was paced by Perry Bennett who ran a season-best time of 25:56.7 to place sixth overall. Davian Gray (26:09.4) was 11^th and Jackson Waller placed 22nd with a time of 26:51.8.

Next up for the Bears will be a trip to Gettysburg, Pa. this Saturday, Oct. 14 for the Aubrey Shenk Invitational, hosted by Gettysburg College. It will be the regular season finale for Morgan State, before competing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Championship on Saturday Oct. 28, 2023 in Smyrna, Del.    

Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023
NJIT Highlander XC Challenge, 5K
Branch Brook Park, N.J.

Team Winner: Army, 57 points
Morgan Team Finish: 8^th, 208 points
Top Finisher: Mitchell Burr, Army (25:03.7)
Morgan State Top Finisher: Perry Bennett, (25:56.7/6th)

Morgan State Finishers
6. Perry Bennett, 25:56.7
11. Davian Gray, 26:09.4
22. Jackson Waller, 26:51.8
61. Devion Bryant, 28:21.2
121. Abdur-Rahman Abdul-Kareem, 31:03.6
DNF. Dante Jackson

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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.