Amherst cross country kicked off the fall season with impressive performances. Both the men and women won the Amherst Invitational and placed second in the Umass-Dartmouth Invitational. Currently, the Jeffs are ranked No. 1 in the region and hope to perform up to their potential in the Williams Purple Valley Classic this upcoming weekend.

Seniors Elise Tropiano and Caitlin McDermott-Murphy will lead the squad on Saturday, as the Amherst women look to defend their 2007 NCAA Championship title. The Jeffs have not relinquished their NCAA No. 1 ranking since last year, and a formidable and talented team has returned this fall to defend the title.

Leading the men are tri-captains Peter Foote ’09, Harrison Lakehomer ’09 and Carlyle Eubank ’10, who came in an impressive third for the Jeffs at UMass. The men are ready to step up and improve upon last year’s finish, when they placed 12th at the NCAA Championships.