Contact: David O Brian ([email protected])

VESTAL, N.Y. The Binghamton men s and women s cross country teams head to the America East Championships at Maine this Saturday. The men s 8K race gets underway at 10 a.m. while the women s 5K event follows at 11 a.m.

Junior Ethan Hausamann and senior Matt Johnson have been the top two men s runners this season. Hausamann, who has been the squad s best finisher four times, was 17th at last year s conference meet. Johnson, meanwhile, was a team-best 16th at the 2012 America East Championship and was 21st last year.

Seniors Ben Snodgrass, Andrew Roache and Jesse Garn, as well as sophomore Eric Holt, have been BU s other consistent finishers this year.

The Bearcat men, who were second last year, were also the runner up in 2010. In 2009, they won their first America East team title.

On the women s side, junior Alexis Hatcher is in the midst of a standout season. She was 22nd at last year s conference race after most of year leading up to that meet with an injury.

Juniors Lizzie Greiner and Anna Corrigan, sophomores Eileen O Hara and Alana MacDonald as well as freshman Allison Davis have been the other mainstays on the women s squad this season.

Last year, the Bearcats were ninth at the America East meet. Two years ago, however, they placed fifth.

The top 10 runners in each race earn all-conference honors. Last season, Vasili Papastrat (fifth) and Collin Frost (ninth) were the Bearcat men s top finishers. Rachel Miura is the most recent Bearcat female to earn all-conference accolades, placing 10th in 2009.

UMBC enters the meet as the defending men s champion. New Hampshire, meanwhile won the women s title last year.

Maine is the host school for the first time since 2006. Binghamton hosted last year s America East Championships and was also the home of the 2005 meet.