By Riley Crowell Asst. Sports Editor The Framingham State University men’s and women’s cross country teams competed at the UMass Dartmouth Invitational Sept. 21. Junior Meghan Johnston and sophomore Kate Buban led the way for the women’s team. Johnston finished the 5K course in 20:50.9. Buban followed closely behind in 20:53.6. Buban said, “I think that I did my best for the conditions. I felt like at the start of the race, I fell pretty far back, but then I got into a groove, and I did the best I could for that day. “I was hoping for a better time, but I’m happy with how it went,” she added. Head Coach Mark Johnson spoke highly of his two top finishers. “Both of them trust the program. … They believe that what we’re doing is going to make them a better runner. “It’s been great just having them be able to push each other in practice, so then during meets, they’re able to push each other forward there, too,” he added. Buban agreed Rams support and push each other. “After we do our warm-up run, we put on our running spikes, we go over to the race line, and we all cheer each other on. I think we definitely motivate each other,” she said. The next runner to cross the finish line for the Rams was first-year Grace Avery with a time of 21:51. “Personally, I think the race went really well,” Avery said. Johnson gave nothing but high praise for the rookie runner. He said, “I started talking to Grace last October, and since our first talks together, she has bought into the program. “Every day, she’s asking for more. She’s asking for more reps. She’s asking for faster times. She wants to push herself and wants to push her teammates,” he added. Avery’s performance earned her MASCAC women’s cross country Rookie of the Week honors for the second time this season. Avery said, “I feel honored to be recognized by the conference. The recognition and the support from my team makes me work even harder, knowing that the work I’m putting in is paying off.” Johnson said, “I was excited to see her win Rookie of the Week for her second consecutive week - if anyone deserves it, it is definitely Grace. “Track and cross country, they’re very individualistic sports, and she’s viewing everything from the team aspect, which is just really great to see,” he added. First-year Vincent Gauthier led the charge for the men’s team, turning in a time of 27:44.6 on the 8K course. Gauthier said, “I think my race went almost as good as it could have with those conditions. The last mile or two was tough. Trying to accelerate and finish strong was a hard ask because of all the turns in the mud, but I held my form and ran strong the whole race.” Johnson said, “I think the sky is really the limit for Vincent. “Both him and our other freshman newcomer, Aaron Corlette - I cannot wait to have them for the next four years to push each other,” he added. This marked Gauthier’s second time being the Rams’ top finisher this season. It also earned him MASCAC men's cross country Rookie of the Week honors for the second time this season. Gauthier said, “It’s a new experience to have this recognition every week. I’ve never seen it anywhere else before, so it’s really cool to see my face, name, and time up on these posts week after week. I plan on keeping the streak going for the rest of the season.” Following Gauthier were Corlette, with a time of 29:03.6, and graduate student Patrick Walsh, with a time of 29:21. Walsh said, “I wasn’t too disappointed with my results. I still want to catch up to our fast freshmen, though.” Among the 45 women’s teams, Framingham finished 32nd. Among the 44 men’s teams, Framingham finished 36th. Both the women’s and men’s meets featured representatives from NCAA Division I, Division II, and Division III. Cross country deviates from the norm of Division III sports by featuring cross-division competition, giving the Rams the chance to compete against the best of the best. Despite the difference in divisions, Framingham coaches and runners don’t back down from the challenge and enjoy the opportunity. Johnson said, “It’s an opportunity to showcase your skill, show people who you are, and that we’re able to compete with the best of the best.” Avery said, “Competing with Division I and Division II schools at first was intimidating, but now it makes me race with more confidence.” Buban said, “I like that we’re able to go against people who are faster than us, so it can push us to work harder.” Gauthier said, “To me, the bigger the race, the better, because it creates an amazing atmosphere. The whole space becomes energized and it fuels you to run paces so fast, while it feels so easy. There’s nothing like it.” Both Rams’ teams faced suboptimal weather and course conditions on the day of the meet, creating a challenging environment for the runners. Sub-60 degree temperatures, 20-plus mph winds, and consistent precipitation combined to make the course a cold, wet, and muddy mess. Avery said, “When I know the weather isn’t great, I try to mentally prepare myself more. Other than that, my routine stays the same.” Walsh said, “Besides packing extra socks, shirts, and trash bags to keep stuff dry, the routine stays the exact same. Same warm up with a bigger focus on staying positive.” Some runners arrived more prepared than others. Gauthier said, “The rain wasn’t forecasted to be as ridiculous as it was. … I basically had to endure the cold and wet without any change of clothes. I had a blanket for the bus ride, thankfully.” Johnson said, “Going in, I told the team, times are out the window today. … Just go out there, have fun, and do what you need to do to push. “Really just trying to keep everyone positive. Positive mentality going in sets you up for opportunities to succeed,” he added. Luckily for the Rams, the rainy and muddy conditions didn’t slow them down too much. Buban said, “I liked the race. I even thought it was kind of fun to run through the mud.” Gauthier said, “Once I’m in the race, those kinds of conditions play more to my strengths. I generally have a very high tolerance for conditions and the rain felt wonderful after I got all warmed up.” Johnson expressed his satisfaction with the results of the meet. “I’ve been with the program for eight years now. … I have not been happier leaving a cross country meet than I was this past Saturday. Just across the board, it felt like for the most part, everything that could go right did. “Both the men and the women all ran really strong, great races. We had a number of collegiate personal bests. Across the board, just a great day for the Rams,” he added. First-year standouts Avery and Gauthier both spoke about the warm welcome they’ve received from the program. Avery said, “From the beginning, both the coaches and team have shown me nothing but positivity and support.” Gauthier said, “My coaches and teammates have been amazingly supportive and helpful. There’s such a drive from all of them to get better and it really makes me hopeful for the rest of the season and seasons to come.” The Rams have five remaining events in the season, including the MASCAC Championships and NCAA Regionals in November. Both teams are excited about what lies ahead. Avery said, “I am stoked for the rest of the season! I am excited to continue to race with the team! I feel really good about how far I’ve come this season.” Gauthier said, “I’m feeling really positive about the rest of the season. I’ve always gone into races with goals, and often, especially in my senior year of high school, I fell far short every time. However, I went into this past race with a time goal of 27:30, and finished only 14 seconds slower, despite the conditions.” Walsh said he feels great going into the rest of the season. He said the only thing he has “to lock in on” is ensuring he saves his best race times for the championship. Cross country is back in action on Sept. 28 when they travel to Mass. Maritime for the Travis Fuller Invitational. [Editor’s Note: Staff Writer Taylor Kimmell contributed to this article. Ben Hurney is Illustrations Editor for The Gatepost]