Graduate student Jackson Cayward put the finishing touches on a monstrous comeback season competing in the cross-country season after missing all of last season due to injury.

The Tolland, CT native was a two-time MAAC Male Runner of the Week this fall and flourished as an MAAC Men's Cross Country All-Championship Team member two weekends ago.

On Friday, Cayward was back at it again as he finished with the seventh fastest time among all MAAC runners and second fastest among non-Iona runners with a personal best time of 30:53.0 at the NCAA Northeast Regional Cross Country Championships 10K race at the Hopkinton State Fairgrounds Cross Country Course in Contoocook, New Hampshire. 

Iona, who has been a juggernaut in the sport, winning 35 consecutive MAAC Men's XC Championships, placed second overall and had five finishers in the top 31 to place with 95 points and only behind the event winner and No. 1 seed Syracuse (32 points). 

Fredrick Kipkosgei of Hofstra was the individual winner with a time of 29:12.7 among the 263 runners.

The Siena Men's XC team ran faster as a team than the likes of Brown, Maine, Holy Cross, Central Connecticut State, Marist, New Hampshire, Stonehill, Fordham, Vermont, Canisius, Bryant, Fairfield, St. Bonaventure, Merrimack, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart and Niagara. Siena's final tallying score of 577 earned a 21^st place finish from a regional field of 38 teams. 

In the Saints' tight pack included several personal best times from fifth year Luke Tkaczyk, who clocked in at 31:15.2 and then junior Colin Brunelle in 31:28.3.

Senior Tyler Greene ran it in 31:42.5 with Collin Clinton crossed the line in 31:45.8.

Next, Siena will begin its indoor track season with a meet scheduled for Saturday, December 6 at the Crowell Invitational on the campus of Army West Point at Gillis Field House.