GETTYSBURG. Pa. - As the Centennial Conference Championship approaches, the Haverford College men's cross country team heads to Gettysburg ready to compete for its 25th conference title. The Fords are coming off a strong stretch of performances, including a standout third-place finish at the Inter-Regional Border Battle and a top showing from senior Micah Lachman, who has led the field to claim the individual title.
With momentum on their side and a deep, balanced roster, Haverford looks to continue its tradition of excellence and position itself for a postseason run.
The 32nd annual Centennial Conference Men's Cross Country Championship takes place Saturday, November 1, at Gettysburg College, with the men's race beginning at 11 a.m. followed by the women's race at noon. Gettysburg will serve as the host for the championship, bringing together the squads from across the conference to compete for the crown.
Haverford enters the championship as one of Division III's most successful programs, seeking its 31st trip to the NCAA Division III National Championship in 32 seasons. The Fords hold a record 24 Centennial Conference men's cross country titles, the most in conference history, with only Hopkins and Dickinson having won the title besides Haverford.
The Fords come into the meet on a strong note, having placed third overall at the Inter-Regional Border Battle, their best showing in the event since 2017. Senior Micah Lachman claimed the individual victory, finishing the 8K course in 24:28.8 and extending a standout fall season. First-year Simon Lane contributed a strong 11th-place finish, while Owen Bluman, Luke de Valpine, and Jakob Maiwald rounded out the Fords' top five scorers at Rowan.
Cole Branstrom also earned Centennial Conference Player of the Week honors after finishing as the top Division III runner at the Haverford Invitational on Friday, placing 10th in a field of 69 competitors with a four-mile time of 20:48.0, including a 10:37.9 mark for the final two miles.
The men's field at Gettysburg features four regionally ranked programs, led by national No. 3 Johns Hopkins. Haverford enters ranked No. 3 in the Metro region, joining Swarthmore (No. 2 Metro) and Dickinson (No. 4 Mid-Atlantic) as top contenders for a podium spot.
Following the Centennial Conference Championships, Haverford will turn its focus to the Metro Regional Championship at DREAM Park in Logan Township, New Jersey on November 15, where teams will compete for bids to the NCAA Division III National Championships in Hub City, Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Haverford's championship entrants will come from a pool that includes Deven Abrams, Oliver Barr, Owen Bluman, Cole Branstrom, Joseph DeRosa, Luke de Valpine, Nicky Elias-Gillette, Wade Garoutte, Raine Guidarelli, Micah Lachman, Simon Lane, Jakob Maiwald, Jack McCurry, Gopal Patel, Torin Pelton-Flavin, Will Tew, and Cullen Worth.
