LAKELAND, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle men's cross country team continued its impressive 2025 campaign with a runner-up finish at the Sunshine State Conference Championships, improving on last year's third-place performance. The Eagles finished just 29 points behind No. 15 Florida Southern, showcasing their depth and balance across the lineup.

Ranked fourth in the South Region by the USTFCCCA, the Blue and Gold put together one of their most complete team efforts of the season, placing two runners inside the top three, five in the top 20, and nine in the top 30.

Leading the way once again was junior Nicholas Scarangelli, the reigning SSC Runner of the Year, who clocked 24:36.6to take second overall. Right behind him was freshman Taye Newman, the reigning SSC Freshman of the Year, finishing third in 24:42.7, just one second off his personal best. Henry Friedrichs, Joseph Koraya, and Ethan Stoutrounded out the scoring five for Embry-Riddle.

The Eagles' second-place showing positions Daytona's Hometown Team well heading into the NCAA II South Regional in two weeks. Currently sitting fourth in the regional rankings, ERAU will once again need to be the second SSC team across the line and no worse than fourth overall to secure a potential at-large berth to Nationals.

It's a challenge that will require making a bit of history, as each of Embry-Riddle's three previous NCAA Championship appearances have come in seasons when the Eagles won the conference title. But if this fall has proven anything, it's that consistency and depth have defined this team and could be the keys to breaking new ground.