Harvard Cross Country Teams Dominate The Ivy League Championships as Men’s Team Brings Home First Title in 54 Years

The Ivy League Cross Country Championships were held over the weekend in Attleboro, Mass., and in its first postseason meet, Harvard cross country did superbly. The women’s team placed third and got a handful of new personal records in the process. The men’s team commanded its race, becoming the first Crimson men’s team to win the Ivy League since 1972 while scoring the fewest points at the meet since 1994.

Sophomore Tam Gavenas sped through the course and picked up a fantastic last-minute Halloween costume: Individual Ivy League Champion. The Andover, Mass., native led most of the race and earned his new title by crossing the line in a blazing 22:56.8.

Head coach Alex Gibby credits Gavenas’ strength in the race to two reasons.

“One, he’s an incredible talent for sure. As much mentally as he is physically a talent, he has the ability to go into the hurt locker like few do,” Gibby said. “But the other piece too is he’s really invested in it.”

Gavenas’ win marked the first time a Harvard runner won the Individual Ivy League Championship since 2024, when Olympian Graham Blanks did so.

Captain Sam Burgess, who also helped lead the pack, was literally right next to Gavenas when he finished in second place with his identical time of 22:56.8. Both of these times were new personal records for the Crimson racers over 8,000 meters.

Not far behind Burgess was the team’s other captain, Charlie Ortmans, who in his season debut came in fourth place. The senior’s time of 23:19.3 was also a personal best, and included a surge in the second half of the race after a slow start. In fifth place overall but fourth place for Harvard was sophomore Benjamin Bouie. The Sunnyvale, Calif., native was the fourth Crimson man to establish a new personal record when he finished in 23:24.9.

Princeton junior Jacob Nenow placed third, breaking up what would have been a 1-2-3-4 finish for Harvard.

In 11th place, senior Ethan Aidam rounded out the scoring for the Crimson. Aidam’s speedy race of 23:58.8 continued the streak of personal records. With a time of 24:01.8, sophomore Grant Schroder came in 12th place, while fellow sophomore Brady Mullen closed out his race in 14th. The New Orleans, La., native was 48th overall after 1,000 meters but continued to work his way up and earned a new personal best of 24:04.1 in the process.

Mullen’s and Ortmans’ measured start was not a part of the race plan. While it was effective at the Ivy Championships, Gibby warned it might be tougher in upcoming races with busier fields.

“They have to learn how to be a little bit more comfortable getting out,” Gibby explained. “Now they both ran very well, but in a crowded field, as we’re going to see in the coming weeks at the NCAA Regionals or the NCAAs, they need to be a little bit more assertive in the early going.”

Freshman Ayoub Farah was the following Harvard finisher. Farah blazed to a new personal record of 24:43.0. The Owatonna, Minn., native hustled his way up from 66th after 1,000 meters to a record 32nd-place finish. Junior Will Brunner also rose through the ranks in the course of the race. Brunner was 70th after the first kilometer and managed to finish 38th with a time of 24:52.4.

A trio of freshmen rounded out the historic day for the Crimson. Baylor Miller was the first of three as he finished in 41st with a time of 24:55.1. Behind Miller was Nathan Lee, who sped to a 25:09.5 and earned 52nd place for his effort. Nicholas Ponte was the final Harvard racer to finish, coming in 57th. Ponte’s time of 25:12.8 meant the Crimson men’s team set yet another personal record that day.

The historic accomplishments of this Harvard team come in part because it approaches its races with simplicity.

“It’s my smooth brain team,” Coach Gibby remarked. “You know they’re all very, very bright, but they’re just not going to get caught in sort of painful analysis and the hesitation that comes from it.”

The Crimson women also excelled in Attleboro, Mass. Captain Sophia Gorriaran led the way for the team, placing sixth overall. Her eye-popping 20:41.3 was a personal record over 6,000 meters.

The next four Harvard runners behind Gorriaran were all freshmen. Coach Gibby attributes the success of his team’s newest member not only to Gorriaran’s leadership and that of the other more senior athletes but also to them being “just terrific.”

The first of those rookies to cross the tape for Crimson was Aelo Curtis, who finished ninth and set a personal record with a time of 20:44.3.

Following Curtis for Harvard was fellow freshman Greta Hammer. The Needham, Mass., native laid down the hammer for her 16th-place finish. Hammer also earned a new personal record with her time of 21:01.1. In 22nd place, freshman Siena Mackley was the fourth Crimson finisher. Mackley was also the fourth Harvard woman with a new personal best at the meet, finishing in 21:13.4.

Freshman Abby Downin was the final scorer for the women. Downin notched a score of 36 and a 40th overall finish on her way to a new personal best of 21:52.9. Downin’s personal record meant that all five of the Crimson’s scorers earned new best times, a notable feat.

“It’s really encouraging both for now as we head towards our regional goals, but what the future holds,” Gibby said, talking about the women’s success.

Junior Abby Sadler was just behind Downin with a score of 39 and a 44th-place finish. After 1,000 meters, Sadler was in 76th, but she fought her way up the ranks and finished in a time of 22:01.3.

Sophomore Ella Cohen was the next Harvard athlete across the line. The New York, N.Y., native was 64th overall, had a score of 54, and earned a new personal best of 22:22.7. Sophomore Callie Wallace followed for the Crimson. Wallace placed 74th and ran a time of 22:59.9. Sophomore Caitlyn Chang wrapped up the action for the women in 80th place.

The Harvard cross country team will strive to build on its postseason success when it competes again at the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships in Bethpage, N.Y., on Nov. 13.

—Staff writer Samuel A. Freeman can be reached at [email protected].