River Hawks Prepped for Paul Short Run
10/1/2026 1:11:00 PM | Men's Cross Country/Track & Field
LOWELL, Mass. – After opening the season at Vermont and UMass Dartmouth, the UMass Lowell men's and women's cross country teams will head to Lehigh University this weekend to compete in the 2026 Paul Short Run on Friday, October 2.
The opening meets provided opportunities for the River Hawks to get their season underway, while this weekend's Paul Short Run will serve as the true opener for the entire team. With a full lineup set to compete, the River Hawks will get their first opportunity to measure themselves against a deep field of collegiate runners from across the country.
"We are looking forward to this weekend. It is the true opener for the entire team," said Head Coach Gary Gardner.
After several weeks of training and preparation, the River Hawks will look to translate their fitness into race conditions and get an early indication of where they stand as a team.
"At this point, we feel like we have a good handle on our fitness level, but we don't necessarily know where we are in terms of race fitness," said Gardner. "This weekend will be our first real indication of what we can be this season. We realize this won't be the finished product, but it will give us a bit of a roadmap for what we need to do as a team moving forward."
The women's team enters the weekend following a strong performance at UMass Dartmouth, with more runners getting the opportunity to compete in the lineup at Paul Short.
"The women performed really well at UMass Dartmouth, and now we add a few more pieces to the group, which is really exciting," said Gardner.
The men will also compete as a full team for the first time this season, bringing back a group with plenty of experience as they begin to establish themselves early.
"For the men, this is also our first full team effort. We return a good amount of experience, which should put us in a good position as we move through the season," said Gardner.
The Paul Short Run will give the River Hawks an opportunity to compete against teams from throughout the country and establish an early benchmark for the season. With plenty of racing still ahead, the team will look to use the weekend's results to identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement as it continues its push toward the championship portion of the season.
For live Paul Short Run results, click here. The event will kick off at 9:30 a.m. with the open men's 8k.Â
The opening meets provided opportunities for the River Hawks to get their season underway, while this weekend's Paul Short Run will serve as the true opener for the entire team. With a full lineup set to compete, the River Hawks will get their first opportunity to measure themselves against a deep field of collegiate runners from across the country.
"We are looking forward to this weekend. It is the true opener for the entire team," said Head Coach Gary Gardner.
After several weeks of training and preparation, the River Hawks will look to translate their fitness into race conditions and get an early indication of where they stand as a team.
"At this point, we feel like we have a good handle on our fitness level, but we don't necessarily know where we are in terms of race fitness," said Gardner. "This weekend will be our first real indication of what we can be this season. We realize this won't be the finished product, but it will give us a bit of a roadmap for what we need to do as a team moving forward."
The women's team enters the weekend following a strong performance at UMass Dartmouth, with more runners getting the opportunity to compete in the lineup at Paul Short.
"The women performed really well at UMass Dartmouth, and now we add a few more pieces to the group, which is really exciting," said Gardner.
The men will also compete as a full team for the first time this season, bringing back a group with plenty of experience as they begin to establish themselves early.
"For the men, this is also our first full team effort. We return a good amount of experience, which should put us in a good position as we move through the season," said Gardner.
The Paul Short Run will give the River Hawks an opportunity to compete against teams from throughout the country and establish an early benchmark for the season. With plenty of racing still ahead, the team will look to use the weekend's results to identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement as it continues its push toward the championship portion of the season.
For live Paul Short Run results, click here. The event will kick off at 9:30 a.m. with the open men's 8k.Â
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