Throggs Neck, NY - The Maritime Privateers men's cross country team is coming off its third Skyline Conference Championship since 2007, and they will be looking to repeat atop the conference in 2018 with 20 returning runners from last season. The women's cross country team has improved its finish at the conference meet every year since 2015 as they will look to compete with the best teams in the conference.

Both rosters are bolstered with a strong core of returners, as the women return nine members from last season including their top four runners from the conference meet in 2017. Emily Zink (Brockport, N.Y., Brockport), Bethany Champlin (Bronx, N.Y., Saint Vincent), Jean Colgan (Ronkonkoma, N.Y., Sachem North), and Katia Aaron (Clarence, N.Y., Clarence) all finished in the top 30 last season at the championship meet and helped lead the Privateers to a sixth place finish, falling just four points shy of fifth. The women will look to continue their steady climb towards the top of the conference as they hope to crack into the top five in 2018.

On the men's side, the Privateers return two top-five finishers from the conference meet in 2017 with Sean Hobson (Old Bridge, N.J., Old Bridge) and Curtis Bates (Honesdale, Pa., Damascus Christian). Hobson and Bates were backed up by two other top-20 finishes in 2017 from Kyle O'Brien (Huntington, N.Y., Huntington) and Marco Rosado (Lajas, Puerto Rico, Academia San Agustin y Espiritu Santo). With the strong group of returners from last season and the addition of some new talent, the Privateers believe they have the ability to repeat as champions in 2018. Maritime boasts a deep 23-man roster for the 2018 season, and will be looking to have multiple runners in the top 20 at every meet during the 2018 season.

Head coach Bill Reuger enters his fourth season as the head coach of the Privateers cross country program, serving as the coach for the 2011 season as well as the past two years. Under Reuger, the men have never finished outside of the top three and have earned seven All-Conference selections, including a Rookie of the Year nod in 2016 with Hobson. 

Maritime opens up the 2018 season at the Adelphi Panther Invitational on Aug. 31 before heading over to the Purchase College Invitational on Sep. 8. The Privateers finish up the September campaign on the road at Iona, Bard, and Mount Saint Mary. In preparation for the conference meet on Oct. 25, Maritime will only compete in other event prior, heading out to the Connecticut College Invite on Oct. 13.