LOGAN TOWNSHIP, N.J. – The TCNJ men's cross country team saved a terrific performance for the perfect time, soaring to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Metro Region championships.

It was a dream scenario at DREAM Park for the Lions, who put themselves in prime position to receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships scheduled for next Saturday at Tom Sawyer Park in Louisville, Kentucky. The second-place showing is the best for TCNJ at a regional championship since winning the Atlantic Region crown in 2005.

The Lions now wait to see if their name is called as one of the at-large selections to the NCAA championships. A total of 32 teams will compete as a team at the national championships. Automatics bids go to the 10 regional champions, while the remaining 22 are at-large. In addition, 70 individuals not on qualifying teams will earn automatic selection based on their finish at the regional championships.

The NCAA DIII Men's and Women's Track & Field and Cross Country Committee is tasked with selecting the 22 at-large teams for the national championships. Regional finish is the primary piece of at-large qualifying criteria; a team cannot be selected to the national meet over a team it finished behind at its respective regional.

TCNJ placed five harriers on the all-region team, which comprises the first 35 individual finishers. Jack Ennis paced the pride with a ninth-place finish at 25:52.80 on the 8-kilometer course, and Ben Fanta was 10^th at 25:57.16. 

Chase Miller finished 16^th overall with a time of 26:18.38. Steven Mendez (26:40.46) and Michael Bond (26:43.01) landed in 31^st and 33^rd overall, respectively, to secure all-region laurels.

Ramapo's Chris Andersen, the NJAC champion, won the individual race in a time of 25:03.17, while national powerhouse Haverford claimed top team honors and the region's automatic NCAA berth.