DSU women finish third, men place seventh at DSU Farm Run Invitational
DOVER, Del. – In what was originally set to take place last Friday, but was rescheduled due to inclement weather, the Delaware State cross country program hosted its second meet of 2015 with the Farm Run Invitational Thursday afternoon. For DSU, the Hornet women tallied 97 points to finish third, while the men placed seventh.
Competing against the likes of MEAC foes UMES, Morgan State, Norfolk State and Coppin State, along with Wesley College (Del.) and Lincoln (Pa.), the Hawks took home crown on both ends.
On the women’s side (5K), UMES’s Jennaya Hield (19:32.62) and Yaminah Smith (19:43.56) finished second and third, respectively. In the case of the Hornets, Thursday’s point total was its highest of the season, spearheaded by Ashley Robinson clocking the fastest time of any DSU runner this year at 20:57.16 to finish 11th. Right behind Robinson, meanwhile, was Nicole Gazzola with her best performance of the season at 20:59.76.
Also placing in the Top 30 for Delaware State were Sabrina Burrell (23rd – 22:36.86) and Erin Cooper (27th – 23:05.36).
On the men’s side, UMES’s Khalil Rmidi Kinini won the 8K competition with a time of 25:16.40, as he was one of six Hawk runners to place in the Top 10. Leading the way for the Hornets was Emanuel Hitch finishing 27th with his best time of the season (31:27.83). The next best finisher for Delaware State was Seth Danjoint placing 32nd (32:32.25).
Coming up, the Columbia Blue & Red will return to action next Saturday with the DSU Pre-Conference Run Invitational at 9 a.m.
For complete story, visit www.dsuhornets.com
Coppin State’s Ball, London and Curtis place inside the top 10
SMRYNA, Del. - Coppin State's Ronaldo Ball, Mark London and Kadeem Curtis were top 10 individual finishers for the men's and women's cross-country teams respectively at the DSU Farm Run Invitational Thursday afternoon.
This race was rescheduled from last Saturday and the athletes enjoyed the extra time to prepare. For Coppin State this was its first competition since September 19 when it raced at the Maryland Eastern Shore Cappy Anderson Invitational.
Ball finished the eight-kilometer course in 27 minutes, 27.60 seconds to place seventh overall. Mark London was ninth in a time of 27:45.77. They helped the short-handed Eagles finish third in the seven-team race with 89 points. Maryland Eastern Shore was first followed by Norfolk State. Coppin State finished ahead of Wesley, Morgan State, Delaware State and The Lincoln University.
Both teams had five runners compete because the rescheduled meet conflicted with some of the student-athletes' mid-term examinations. Michael James was 14th overall in a time of 28:19.25. Fabian Hayles and Devin Teagle ran strong races to help the Eagles.
On the women's side, Curtis turned in a personal best performance of 20:48.94, which was ninth overall. She was ecstatic once she learned her time and place. Her teammate, Lunnise Gibson also finished among the top 20, placing 18th (21:50.25).
Members of Coppin State's women's squad will run Saturday morning at the Goucher Invitational beginning at 11:15 a.m. Both squads will return to Delaware State to compete on Saturday, October 17. That will be the final tune-up before the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championships on October 31.
For complete story, visit www.coppinstatesports.com
Hawks sweep DSU Farm Run Invitational
PRINCESS ANNE, Md.— For the third meet in four tries, the UMES cross country team swept a meet, with both the men and women taking first place at the DSU Farm Run Invitational on Thursday. Following a nearly three week break, the well-rested Hawks earned a bevy of top ten finishes to help them capture the meet over six other teams.
Save for a second place finisher from Norfolk State, the men’s team captured all the top positions in the race to score 19 points. Once again it was junior Khalil Rmidi Kinini who led the way with a 25:16.40 8k time. Rmidi Kinini has placed first in every meet the Hawks have won except the Cappy Anderson Invitational, when he was sidelined with an injury.
After the second place runner came freshman Jordan Leon in third with a time of 26:23.59. Sophomore Oussama Chouati was right behind him with a 26:51.98 to finish fourth, and sophomores Stanley Meli and Donovan Mundy came in fifth and sixth to round out the scoring.
Although his time did not need to earn points for his team, senior Mark Tuwie also registered a top ten with an eighth place finish.
The Lady Hawks were nearly as impressive in the 5k event. After an unattached runner won the event, the second place finisher was junior Jennaya Hield, who recorded a time of 19:32.62. Hield has turned into a consistent frontrunner as far as the women’s cross country team is concerned, as she has been the first UMES runner to cross the finish line over the last three meets.
Hield was followed by freshman Yaminah Smith whose time of 19:43.56 earned her a third place finish. Junior Rachel Halmon finished at 20:21.63 to take sixth place, and sophomore Dypna Umunakwe was right behind her in seventh with a time of 20:22.71. Fellow sophomore Janice Lane rounded out both the top ten and scoring for UMES with a tenth place time of 20:50.09.
The team’s next meet will take place on October 17th when the Hawks will travel to New Jersey for the Princeton Invitational.
For complete story, visit www.umeshawks.com