Men’s Cross Country Triumphs in 2025 Season Opener, Hawkes and Several Seawolves Post Strong Performances

8/30/2025 3:00:00 PM

STONY BROOK, N.Y. — Stony Brook men's cross country kicked off the 2025 season with a dominant performance to win the Stony Brook Season Opener. The Seawolves cruised to victory on Saturday morning, collecting 17 points, a first-place finish from Michael Hawkes, and 11 top-20 placements.

Hawkes was the event's top performer, winning this year's 6K race with an impressive time of 19:15.30. Just behind him was Henry Gartner, finishing second (19.15.80), and Peter Fogarty in third (19.16.50). Also posting strong top-10 performances were Collin Gilstrap, who finished fifth, and Brian Liebowitz, who placed sixth.

Six more Stony Brook runners recorded top-20 finishes, with Gavin Catherwood (11th), Ryan Hesler (12th), Joseph Bertola (13th), Luca Maneri (14th), Cain Lawler (15th), and Chris Tardugno (18th).

HIGHLIGHTS

Hawkes outpaced 93 other runners to secure a first-place finish, the first individual win of his cross country career.
Gartner placed second with a strong run to open the season, setting a new personal best in the 6K.
Fogarty impressed in his Seawolf debut, taking third.
Gilstrap finished fifth with a solid time of 19:28.10.
Liebowitz rounded Stony Brook's top-10 finishes, placing sixth (19:34.00).
In his collegiate debut, Catherwood made his presence felt, finishing (11th) with a time of 19:45.20.
Hesler crossed the finish line in 19:45.70, good for a 12th-place finish.
Bertola posted a solid performance in the opener, finishing in 13th en route to a new personal best time of 19:47.00.
Maneri recorded a 14th-place finish (19:47.80).
Lawler finished 15th in his collegiate debut (19:51.90).
Tardugno placed 18th (19:58.50).
The Seawolves have now won six consecutive Stony Brook Season Openers.

UP NEXT
The Seawolves are back in action in three weeks when the team travels to Connecticut for the Ted Owen Invitational on September 20.

For an inside look at the Seawolves cross country program, be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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