Amherst, MA --- Led by a runner-up finish from senior David Reynolds (Andover, NH), the WPI men's cross country team finished second at the season-opening Ken O'Brien Minuteman Invitational on Saturday. 

Reynolds interrupted a bevy of UMass finishers, taking second overall in a time of 19:40.1, with an average mile of 5:16.5 on the 6k course. UMass' Surafel Mengist (Silver Spring, MD) edged out Reynolds for the win in 19:35.4, while he was followed by eight other minutemen finishers. 

Junior Avi Bissoondial (Millbury, MA) was next across the line for the Engineers, who are fifth in the preseason USTFCCCA East Region rankings and receiving votes nationally. Bissoondial placed 11th overall in a time of 20:11.9. 

Fifth-year Brian Brooks (Brewster, MA) took 14th place in 20:29.2, while freshman Brinson Wyche (Corvallis, MT) was 15th in a time of 20:37.4 in his first collegiate race. 

Rounding out the scorers for WPI were graduate student Alex Simoneau (Attleboro, MA) in 16th (20:40.3), junior Jarrett Gulden (Walpole, ME) in 17th (20:45.2), and sophomore Ryan Fischer (Merrimack, NH ) in 18th (21:20.8). 

WPI returns to action on Saturday, September 17 at the UMass Dartmouth Invitational at 10:30am.

Photo courtesy of WPI Student Assistant Megan DeSanty