KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University men's cross country team is on the cusp of qualifying for the NCAA Division II Championships for the first time since 1988, and will need a standout performance at Saturday's NCAA Atlantic Region Championships in Lock Haven to make that goal a reality.

The Golden Bears are hoping to show the same form from two weeks ago at the PSAC Championships in Edinboro, where they claimed five all-conference runners and posted a 35-second split en route to a third-place team finish –the program's highest conference finish since 1994.

Head coach Ray Hoffman's team has been a mainstay in the top five of the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's (USTFCCCA) regional rankings for much of the season and enter the regional meet ranked fifth behind Charleston (W.Va.), Shippensburg, Davis and Elkins and East Stroudsburg.

To punch its ticket to nationals in Kenosha, Wis., later this month, Kutztown must finish in the top three at regionals or be one of 10 at-large teams nationwide selected by the championship committee. Automatic bids will go to the top three teams at each of the eight regional championships across the country, accounting for 24 of the 34 teams.

Redshirt senior Jack Hollar (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Pocono Mountain East) led the Maroon and Gold with an All-PSAC First Team 14th-place finish in the 8k PSAC Championships with a time of 25:35.2. Close on Hollar's heels were sophomore Peyton Small (Littlestown, Pa./Littlestown) in 16th (25:36.2) and senior Adam Brocato (Reisterstown, Md./Calvert Hall) in 17th (25:39.0).

Senior Robby Lloyd (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) took 19th in 25:49.0 and redshirt senior Port Habalar (Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport) rounded out the scoring with a 28th-place run (26:10.8). Small, Brocato, Lloyd and Habalar each earned All-PSAC Second Team honors.

Kutztown also got top 40 showings from junior Connor Murphy (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) in 36th (26:32.1) and freshman Weston Fry (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville) in 40th (26:38.0) at the conference meet, showcasing the Bears' depth.

Saturday's race at the West Branch Cross Country Course will be the longest of the season for KU at 10,000 meters. The Golden Bears are aiming to surpass their best-ever finish of fifth at regionals, which they've accomplished four times, most recently in 2002.

While the primary goal is to qualify for nationals as a team, runners will also be looking to position themselves for a potential individual berth. The top two individuals from non-qualifying teams and all individuals who finish in the top five at the regional meet will automatically advance to nationals. Additional individuals will qualify as at-large selections based upon head-to-head comparison metrics.

Top 25 finishers will be recognized with All-Atlantic Region honors by the USTFCCCA.

The 2025 NCAA DII Men's Atlantic Region Championship race is scheduled to begin at approximately 11:45 a.m., following the completion of the women's race.