In the one final tune-up for the America East championship, perhaps the last test before a potential record-breaking year comes to a close for Binghamton University cross country, the men’s and women’s teams competed in different races this weekend. The men’s team traveled south to the Penn State National on Friday, finishing 11th out of 28 teams, while the women participated in the Albany Invitational on Saturday; they placed fourth out of 32 teams.

BU sophomore Erik van Ingen led Binghamton again for the third straight meet, finishing 26th out of a field of 306 runners. He completed the 5.2-mile course in 25:55. Teammate junior Chris Gaube was close on his heels, finishing in 26:04 in 36th place.

“I expect them to be our top performers; they are very, very consistent,” said head coach Annette Acuff. “They have done a great job all season.”

This was BU’s second consecutive highly competitive meet that they have attended. Two weeks ago they competed in the Lehigh Paul Short Run, going up against top programs from the Northeast. At the Penn State National, they faced similar competition in the form of nationally ranked programs such as No. 8 Georgetown and No. 28 Villanova.

“We were a little more competitive, our times were faster,” Acuff said when comparing the two races. “It was a much harder course [this weekend]; we were very close to Yale and they are very competitive.”

Yale finished 10th, one spot in front of Binghamton.

“That’s the closest we have been to a top program in the Northeast [in program history],” Acuff said.

BU sophomore Andrew Ugolino placed 61st, classmate Casey Quaglia finished 80th and senior Adam Hill rounded out the top five with a 93rd-place finish in his return to competitive races.

“It was Adam’s first race in two years; we have been nursing him and making sure we could get him healthy,” Acuff said. “He was our fifth guy and it was a good time for him.”

Senior Jamie Schulte led the women’s team at Albany, placing 20th out of 196 runners. She completed the 5,000-meter course in 18:33. Sophomore Ashley Horton finished in 23rd place in 18:38, while freshman Ryann Cretney finished in 43rd place.

“Her [Schulte], Ashley and Ryann had great races,” Acuff said. “In all honesty, everyone in the top five had great performances, our best performance this season for the women’s team.”

Sophomore Alicia Finger and senior Jennifer Hastings rounded out the top five for BU.

Both teams will participate at the America East Championships on Saturday, Nov. 1.

“The men’s team is definitely competing for the top three spots,” Acuff said. “Our women’s team is competing in a conference that is much stronger than in the past.”

The men’s team’s highest finish at the America East Championships is sixth place. With their first ever top-15 ranking in the Northeast and a rejuvenated, healthy squad they look to break that program record.