Samuel Whittaker Earns Commanding Win at Bison Open, Bucknell Takes Team Title

Friday, September 2

Lewisburg, Pa.

6 p.m.

Bucknell University

Bison Opener

Photo by: Cole Cloonan

Samuel Whittaker Earns Commanding Win at Bison Open, Bucknell Takes Team Title

9/2/2022 7:49:00 PM | Men's Cross Country

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Samuel Whittaker started off his senior season with a commanding victory at the Bison Open on Friday evening, helping Bucknell earn its second straight team title at the Bison Open.

Results

"We got exactly what i was hoping for out of our first meet," said head coach Kevin Donner. "Both teams trained through this meet, and many of our runners looked a bit tired. However, I was pleased with how they were able to negotiate a tough course and still get a solid win. On the men's side, Whittaker has picked up where he left off last spring and was in total control. Our young guys looked very good at the 2-5 spot with first-years Dinant and Didden looking good. Crockett is a sophomore at a much higher level than a year ago, and I was happy with how Santos battled."

Whittaker (18:28.1) finished over 21 seconds ahead of runner-up Russell Sullivan of American, clocking a 4:58-mile pace on the 6k course. The senior, who earned All-Patriot League Second Team accolades two seasons ago, improved from a 13th-place finish at the Bison Open one year ago.

The Bison (31) finished just ahead of Loyola (Md.) (47) to take the team title. Lafayette (68) and American (79) also competed in a battle of Patriot League rivals.

First-year Trent Dinant had a strong showing, finishing third overall (18:58.8). He was joined in the top ten by Grayson Crockett (6th, 19:12.7) and first-year Henry Didden (10th, 19:17.0).

Ben Santos (11th) rounded out Bucknell's scoring runners, while Noah Martin (13th), Bobby Lynam (15th), Mason Siebenhaar (19:29.2), and Jayson Harmer (19th), all earned top-20 finishes in the field of 54.

Jeffrey Gibbs, Max Lagunoff, Harry Marson, Peter Sorensen, Zachary Laird, Christian Cadmus, Domenic Campagna, Thomas White, Daniel Hilmer, Quinn McCutcheon, and Peter Clifford also competed for the Bison on the day.

Bucknell will now look ahead to the Siena Invite, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 10 in Loudonville, N.Y.