GENEVA, N.Y.—The William Smith College cross country team will host the 14th annual Women's and Men's Cross Country Only Conference Championships on Saturday, Oct. 13 at Seneca Lake State Park. The women's 6-kilometer championship will start at 11 a.m. with the men's 8k championship to follow at noon.
 
The conference championship meet was founded by former William Smith Head Cross Country Coach Jack Warner in 2005 for schools that sponsor cross country, but not track and field. This year's CCOC field will include teams from Cayuga Community College, Cazenovia, Clarkson, D'Youville, Elmira, Hobart, Medaille, Morrisville State, Paul Smith's, SUNY Canton, Villa Maria, Wells and William Smith.
 
In the women's field, Clarkson is the three-time defending champion. The Golden Knights are ranked ninth in the latest Atlantic Region poll. Overall, Clarkson has won four CCOC titles (2005, 2015, 2016, 2017), tied for the most with William Smith (2006, 2010, 2011, 2012).
 
The Herons are led by first-year Riley Poisson, who has finished in the top 11 in each of her first five collegiate races, including three top 5 efforts. The four-time Liberty League Rookie of the Week won the SUNY Poly Short Course Invitational with a 4k course record time of 16:25.3. Senior Eva Gurian and first-years Mikayla Gullace and Courtney Page have also produced impressive times for William Smith, helping the team to three top five finishes this season.
 
On the men's side, Clarkson is the defending champion. The Golden Knights have won six of the past eight CCOC crowns and eight championship altogether since 2005.
 
The Hobart cross country team is led by Max Tulchinsky. The sophomore has been the first Statesman across the finish line in each of the first five races this season. He logged his best finish at SUNY Poly, placing 12th out of 110 runners. Tulchinsky placed fifth in last season's CCOC Championship.