FLUSHING, NY --- (www.YORKATHLETICS.com) York College sophomore Michael Zhang was recognized Tuesday as a 2024 CUNYAC Men's Cross Country Preseason Runner to Watch as league officials released the eight-member squad.

In five meets last campaign, Zhang had a trio of top-three team finishes in the 8k course. He scored his first top-10 finish at the Medgar Evers Legacy Invitational (Oct. 22), as his time of 36:36.6 was good enough for ninth place. Competing at the CUNYAC Championships (Oct. 29), Zhang crossed the finish line with a career-best result of 36:26.1. The Brooklyn native's consistency helped him claim the 2023 York College Cross Country Most Outstanding Award. Off the course, Zhang claimed CUNYAC Fall 2023 Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll status.

Voted on by the league coaches, York was selected eighth in the CUNYAC Preseason Poll.
 

2024 CUNYAC Preseason Men's Cross Country Coaches Poll

	Points (First-Place Votes)
1. Hunter College	48 (6)
2. Brooklyn College	41 (1)
3. John Jay College	34 (1)
4. CCNY	33
5. Baruch College	30
6. Lehman College	15
7. Medgar Evers College	13
8. York College	10

Hunter College led the poll with 48 points and with six first-place votes. Brooklyn College and John Jay College each shared a first-place vote. The Cardinals received 10 total points. York's six-meet schedule begins with the Ron Stonitsch Invitational on September 14 hosted by Vassar College.  

The 2024 CUNYAC Championships will take place on October 27 at Van Cortlandt Park as the Cardinals look to show out under energetic coaches Aisha Bruce and Kiechen Smith.

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