WATERFORD, Conn. -- Senior captain Ryan Smith placed 16th out of 382 competitors to pace the No. 23 nationally ranked Bates men's cross country team Saturday at the Connecticut College Invitational.

The Bobcats finished in seventh place as a team out of 23 schools at the meet.

Smith (Westport, Conn.) returned to his home state in style, competing the 8K course at Harkness Memorial State Park in 24:51.6, the fastest time of his cross country career to date.

Fellow senior captain Eli Boesch Dining (Concord, N.H.) also turned in a strong performance, taking 21st place in 24:55. 

Junior Victor Kering (Eldoret, Kenya), finished 66th in 25:40.5, junior captain Ned Farrington (Cohasset, Mass.) tied for 71st in 25:45.0, and junior Sam Kartsonis (Harriton, Pa.) rounded out the scoring for Bates with a 78th place showing in 25:50.4. 

Combined, the Bobcats finished with a score of 232. MIT won the meet with a score of 46. 

The Bobcats are back in action next Saturday at 10:30am at the Bowdoin Invitational.