On Saturday, Nov. 23, Dan Crowley ’16 of the Amherst men’s cross country team took to the trails in Hanover, Ind. where he competed in the individual bracket of the NCAA Division III Men’s Cross Country Championships.

Crowley’s race slated him 175th in a 275-person field. He ran 2K in 6:19, 3K in 9:26 and 6K in 19:33.

“He put himself in great position through the first 5K and then was battling some cramping issues in the later stages which affected his finish” said Coach Erik Nedeau. As a result, Crowley completed the 8k in 26:25.50 with a 5:19 mile pace.

“I thought he had a solid race, but it wasn’t his best one of the year.”

“It is sometimes tough when you are used to having your team with you every race, and when times are tough you can find something to push beyond because you know your team is counting on your performance,” Nedeau said. “But [it] was a great experience for him and one that will definitely make him a better runner down the road.”

This race capped off an excellent season for Crowley. The sophomore was the number one harrier for the Jeffs in five of the team’s eight meets. At the opening of the UMass Invitational he paved the way for the Jeffs finishing fourth among a field of 65 Division I runners. He also paced the Jeffs at the USM Invitational, the Purple Valley Classic, the NESCAC Championships and the NCAA New England Championships.