Happenny Paces Pride Runners with Record-Setting Effort
August 31, 2024

Happenny Paces Pride Runners with Record-Setting Effort

NEW LONDON, N.H. – Benjamin Happenny (Woonsocket, R.I.) broke the school record for best five-kilometer time in an official meet, leading the Regis College cross country team at the Charger Invitational Saturday hosted by Colby-Sawyer College on the Morris Family Trail.

Happenny finished fourth overall with a time of 16:53.72, over 17 seconds faster than the previous record of 17:11 established by JJ Pedersen five years and one day ago at the Wellesley Invitational Aug. 30, 2019. It was over 40 seconds quicker than Happenny's previous five-kilometer best time established at this event last year.

Starting his first full cross country season, Riley Stogsdill (San Diego, Calif.) finished in seventh place with a time of 17:10.88. Brian LaPorte (Bridgewater, Mass.) crossed the finish line in 26th place overall in 20:52.16.

Kederson Pierre (Everett, Mass.) started a string of three straight Pride runners to complete the course by posting a time of 21:14.28, significantly better than his time at this event one year ago. He was followed by Ben Myette (Hanson, Mass.) in 21:30.64 and Chris Margiatto (Suffield, Conn.) in 21:42.08, almost a full minute faster than his time at this meet last year.

On the women's side, Aubrey Heise (Mattapoisett, Mass.) led the Pride with an 11th-place finish in 22:02.46 over the five-kilometer course. Jonnie Charest (Methuen, Mass.) crossed the finish line in 18th place overall with a time of 22:56.26, a personal-best time for the distance by 20 seconds.

Abby Kilbride (Peabody, Mass.), competing in her first collegiate cross country meet, ended up in 25th place overall with a time of 23:37.17, followed by Annabelle Jean-Philippe (Randolph, Mass.) in 26:28.23.

Both teams finished in fourth place in their respective overall standings. Colby-Sawyer College won the women's competition easily, while Saint Joseph's College picked up the victory in the men's event.

Regis College heads to Wenham, Mass., for the Pop Crowell Invitational hosted by Gordon College Saturday, Sept. 14. The women's event is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., followed by the men's race at 10:45 a.m.