MEADVILLE, Pa. – Victory has a sweet, sweet flavor for the Geneva men's cross country program this year. After falling just one point shy of winning the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Cross Country Championships in 2024, the men came back with a vengeance at this year's championship meet on Saturday morning to secure the Golden Tornadoes' first PAC title in program history, scoring 33 points less than any other school at the meet. Senior Karter Reath was the top runner for the men, passing several runners over the final 200 meters to secure a second-place finish overall.

It has been a group effort for the GTs all season long, with multiple runners showcasing their ability to be the fastest on the team on any given day, and this morning's championship meet was no different. Six runners finished in the top 15 for Geneva, all earning all-conference honors. Geneva finished with a team score of 38 points, with Grove City the next-closest team, coming in at 71 points.  The Golden Tornadoes came into the championship meet as a slight favorite based upon earlier results this season, but in the end, the final result was not close.

Reath's time of 27:17.0 led the Golden Tornadoes, the first time he has finished first on the team in any race this season. His performance earned him a spot on the All-PAC First Team for the first time in his career. Sophomore Ethan Haring also earned First Team recognition, taking sixth place overall with a time of 27:29.7.

A trio of Golden Tornadoes finished in the 9, 10, and 11 spots at the Championships, headed up by sophomore Matt Otto, who ran the best race of his young career. Otto finished in 27:40.5, and right behind him were seniors Tommy Corbin and Eli Eisenberger, who took 10th and 11th places, respectively, with times of 27:44.5 and 27:45.3. All three of those runners garnered Second Team All-PAC honors, along with senior Benjamin Perka, who finished 14th overall and sixth for the Golden Tornadoes with a 28:03.0 mark.

Head Coach Phil Thompson was honored as the PAC Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year at the conclusion of the championships.

The men have a couple of weeks to enjoy their PAC championship before their next race. They will compete next at the NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships on Saturday, November 15^th, hosted by Dickinson College in Newville, PA.


Through purposeful learning in a community reflecting the full spectrum of God's kingdom, a Geneva College experience inspires students to discover a faith-life calling in service to God and neighbor. Offering 195+ traditional undergraduate majors and programs, fully online Adult Degree Programs and high-demand graduate degrees, Geneva's programs are recognized for their high quality and affordability. Geneva was founded and is governed by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) and is a founding member of both the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and the International Association for Christian Education (IACE).