HOLMDEL, N.J. – Fairfield University Men's Cross Country placed eighth at the Henry Mercer Invitational this Saturday at Holmdel Park – the site of the 2019 MAAC Championship. The Stags defeated three teams on the leaderboard, including Seton Hall and a pair of fellow MAAC squads.
 
In addition to the Pirates, Fairfield was ahead of a unit from host Monmouth and Saint Peter's to secure eighth place. Marist won the team title with all five of their scoring runners among the top 20 finishers.
 
For the second time this season, Robert Dillon set the pace for the Stags a 35th place finish in a field of 145 harriers. Dillon completed the five-mile course in 27:40.89. Benjamin Breton, James Vizzard, Thomas VanderSlice and Bryce Zapusek were all in the top half of the field to round out the Stags' quintet of point scorers.
 
Monmouth's Kyle Mueller won the individual crown with a time of 25:40.29 to top Evans Kibet of Siena by more than five seconds.
 
The Stags return to action on Oct. 5 in the Hellertown section of Bethlehem, Pa. for the annual Paul Short Run.