NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – Dieter Gutbrod (Sandy Hook, Conn.) finished 22nd overall to lead the Southern Connecticut State University men's cross country team to a seventh-place team mark at the CCSU Ted Owen Invitational earlier today.

Southern Connecticut finished higher than five Division I teams earlier this afternoon. The Owls placed higher than New Jersey Institute, Fairleigh Dickinson, Saint Francis (N.Y.), Wagner and Sacred Heart.

Gutbrod finished the 5k with a time of 27:53.64.

Senior Tom Saksa (Seymour, Conn.) finished the course in a time of 28:36.59. Junior Samuel Parton (Fairfield, Conn.) finished 49th overall, just two seconds behind Saksa with a time of 28:38.23. Sophomore Dean Bhatt (Hamden, Conn.) finished the course with a time of 28:55.66, while senior Michael Vagnini (Woodbury, Conn.) posted a time of 29:32.77. Steven Cugini (Milford, Conn.), Collin Reilly (Naugatuck, Conn.), Ryan Flach (Oxford, Conn.) and Seth Shuster (Shelton, Conn.) were among the other Owls who competed today.

The Owls will return to action when they compete in the New England Championships in Boston, Mass. on October 11th at 12 p.m.