LOCK HAVEN, PA – The Susquehanna University men's cross country team turned in a strong performance at the 2026 Landmark Conference Cross Country Championships on Saturday, highlighted by junior
Derick Blair capturing his second consecutive individual conference championship. Fellow performer
Hunter Valentino finished All-Landmark for Susquehanna as the River Hawks finished fifth overall in the team standings with 107 points at the West Branch Cross Country Course.
How It Went Down
- Blair continued his impressive junior campaign by making history once again, becoming a back-to-back Landmark Conference individual champion. The reigning champion crossed the finish line first in the men's 8K with a time of 24:44.4, averaging 4:58.6 per mile. He finished more than 14 seconds ahead of the runner-up, Nathan Moore of Moravian, who clocked in at 24:59.3.
- Blair's victory marks another milestone for the Susquehanna program after becoming the River Hawks' first men's individual Landmark champion since 2011 with his victory in 2025. He now owns two consecutive conference titles after entering the championship as the reigning individual champion.
- Susquehanna received strong contributions throughout its lineup, finishing fifth among the 10 competing Landmark programs with 107 points and a combined team time of 2:11:58. The River Hawks finished just one point behind fourth-place Scranton (106 points), while Moravian claimed the team championship with 43 points.
- Senior Hunter Valentino was the River Hawks' second finisher, placing 13th overall with a time of 26:09.7 for Second Team All-Landmark. He averaged 5:15.8 per mile to secure a top-15 finish and provide an important scoring performance for Susquehanna.
- Senior Evander Lackman followed with a 22nd-place finish, crossing the line with a personal-best 26:35.7. Sophomore Andrew Hilke was next across the finish line in 36th place with a time of 27:12.4, while junior Thomas McGann rounded out the River Hawks' five scoring runners by finishing 40th in 27:16.1.
- The River Hawks' scoring five combined for a strong team effort, with Blair leading the way and four additional runners finishing inside the top 40.
Inside the Results
Up Next for the River Hawks
- Susquehanna will continue its postseason competition at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships on Saturday, November 14, at the West Branch Cross Country Course in Lock Haven, Pa.
