Hopkinton, N.H. (Oct. 9, 2026) – The UMass Boston men's and women's cross country teams competed Friday at the 2026 Hopkinton XC Festival in Hopkinton, N.H., with junior Albert Ferreras (Lowell, MA.) delivering one of the program's brightest individual performances of the young season by winning the Men's 8K outright.
Men's 8K
Ferreras crossed the finish line first among all competitors from 11 teams, posting a winning time of 19:29.2 to claim the individual title in the Men's 8K. The junior's performance led UMass Boston to a sixth-place team finish with 148 points — a strong result in a competitive College/Open division field that included Franklin Pierce (32 points, first), St. Anselm (75, second) and St. Joseph's (Me.) (85, third).
Four Beacons followed Ferreras across the line to round out the team's five-man scoring group. Aiden Levin (Bristol, Conn.) was UMass Boston's second scorer, finishing 40th overall in 22:46.6. Jayden Ferreras (Lowell, Mass.) placed 43rd in 23:19.9 to contribute as the team's third scorer. Jimmy Gallagher (North Attleboro, Mass.) finished 47th in 23:38.2, and Christian Labadini (Randolph, Mass.) rounded out the scoring five with a 50th-place finish in 24:05.7.
The Beacons finished ahead of Emmanuel (Mass.) (170), Emerson (231), Lesley (264), Vermont State Lyndon (294) and Dean (Mass.) (297) in the team standings.
Women's 5K
The UMass Boston women placed ninth out of 14 teams with 206 points in the Women's 5K, competing in one of the larger fields the Beacons have faced this season.
Drew Sherman (Sandown, N.H.) led the Beacons' women's squad, placing 24th overall in 20:43.5. Anatalya Graham (Minneapolis, Minn.) was right behind her in 25th place with a time of 20:47.0 — just 3.5 seconds back — giving UMass Boston a strong one-two punch at the front of the scoring group. Audrey Connolly (Weymouth, Mass.) contributed as the team's third scorer with a 45th-place finish in 21:20.0, while Molly Hilditch (Auburn, Mass.) came in 63rd in 22:02.7. Abigail Churchill (Attleboro, Mass.) rounded out the five-woman scoring group with a 101st-place finish in 24:39.1, providing veteran presence for a largely first-year squad. Jayden LaPlant (Plymouth, Mass.) also competed for the Beacons.
UMass Boston finished ahead of Wheaton (Mass.) (247), Lesley (320), Emerson (341), NHTI Track Club (414) and Dean (Mass.) (433) in the team standings.
Up Next
The Beacons return to action Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Western New England Invitational in Springfield, Mass. The women's race is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. and the men's race for 11:00 a.m.
To stay up to date on all things UMass Boston Athletics, follow the Beacons on Instagram (@UMassBeacons), and X (@UMassBostonAthletics), and read the latest stories and updates here at beaconsathletics.com.
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