Sept. 26, 2003

RALEIGH, N.C. - Top-25 performances by Braulio Benitez and Andy Tremble lifted the Lewis University men's cross country team to seventh place in a 21-team field at Friday's Great American Cross Country Festival.

The Flyers, ranked 22nd nationally in NCAA Division II and fourth in the Great Lakes Region, scored 225 points and defeated eight NCAA Division I teams. The top six finishers were Massachusetts-Lowell (55), Hillsdale (91), Grand Valley State (104), Southern Indiana (147), Maryland-Baltimore County (207) and Coastal Carolina (219).

Benitez covered the 8,000-meter course in 27:48.2 and finished 13th, while Tremble clocked a time of 28:04.0 and placed 21st.

Also competing for the Flyers in the 132-runner field were Josh Thompson (50th, 28:58.5), Larry Anzalone (Bensenville, Ill./Fenton) (64th, 29:27.6), Willie Nelson (77th, 29:50.2) and Chris Foley (92nd, 30:13.2).

Lewis competes at Beloit College's Old English Classic next Saturday.