Kiptoo, Pan pace Bethune-Cookman at Central Florida.
ORLANDO – For the second straight week, Daniel Kiptoo and Nyajock Pan paced the Bethune-Cookman cross country performance, this time at the UCF-Hagerty Invitational.
Kiptoo took his second meet runner-up finish of the year while Pan placed in the top as the Wildcat men finished fifth in a six-team field while the Lady Wildcats came in fourth out of eight teams in a meet held on the UCF campus.
Kiptoo, a freshman, clocked an 8K time of 26 minutes, 23.2 seconds, trailing individual champion Michael Babinec of USF’s winning time of 26.16.7. Babinec also outdistanced Kiptoo for the individual championship at last week’s season opener at the University of Tampa.
Babinec was one of five USF finishes in the top 10 as the Bulls took the team title over FIU, 28-68. B-CU posted a team score of 109.
Xavier Walton made his B-CU debut, finishing 11th in 27:43.6. Other Wildcat times and finishes include Ronald Simpson (32.20.5, 35th); Brent Heholt (34:03.8, 38th); Donavon Frater (35:40.3, 39th); Kenneth Fisher (37.21.1, 40th) and Princy Dorsainvill (41:50.9, 44th)
Pan, a junior, came in ninth with a 5K time of 19:20.13.
Deja Davis came in 16th with a 19:50.23, followed Brianna Pollock in 36th (20:53.29), Nia Ruth 42nd (21:37.27); Alexus Harris 50th (22:04.91) and Zierrah Martin in 52nd (22:03.32).
The Lady Wildcats turned in a team score of 113, trailing USF (31), UCF (40) and Stetson (62).
B-CU returns to action September 25 at the FL Runners Invite in Titusville.
For complete story, visit www.bcuathletics.com
Coppin State enjoys solid day at Hornet Invitational
SMYRNA, Del. - Different course. Another strong effort produced the same positive results for the Coppin State men's cross-country team.
Mark London, Ronaldo Ball and Michael James were top 10 finishers to help Coppin State finish second overall at the Hornet Invitational Saturday morning. It was the second consecutive week in which three Eagles placed among the top 10 and that the Eagles ended the race behind Maryland Eastern Shore.
London was fourth overall in a time of 16 minutes, 46.40 seconds. Ball and James were seventh and eighth, respectively. Ball crossed the finish line in 17:01.80 while James' time was 17:06.60. Also scoring for Coppin State was Fabian Hayles (14th overall, 17:43.30) and Delroy Davis (17th, 18:57.50).
Coppin State scored 50 points as a team which was more than Morgan State, Howard and Delaware State.
On the women's side, junior Kadeem Curtis and freshman Lunnise Gibson were among the top 20 for the second consecutive week. Curtis finished the course in 22:53.40 and Gibson completed the race in 23:05.20.
Both teams return to Maryland Eastern Shore next weekend to compete in the Cappie Anderson Invitational.
For complete story, visit www.coppinstatesports.com
Gazzola, Hitch Leads the Way for DSU at Hornet Invitational
SMYRNA, Del. – In what was the first of four home competitions this season, the Delaware State cross country program battled wet and muddy conditions during Saturday’s 5K Hornet Invitational with the women placing fourth (104 points), while the men finished fifth (132 points).
On the women’s side, UMES finished first (26 points) with six runners finishing in the top 10, whereas Morgan State placed second (33 points) with Karen Escobedo (19:45.00) and Jada Boyd (20:32.00) crossing the finish line in first and second, respectively. Nicole Gazzola, meanwhile, registered DSU’s best performance with a time of 21:49.30 to finish 11th.
Rounding out notable performances for the DSU women were Erin Cooper (16th – 22:38.70), Sabrina Burrell (23rd – 23:21.40) and Ashley Robinson (25th – 23:37.80).
Winning the men’s race were the Hawks, led by Khalil Kinini Rmidi finishing first with a time of 15.48.00. Behind him were teammates Jordan Leon (16:34.60) and Stanley Meli (16:42.40). In the case of the Hornets, Emmanuel Hitch placed 20th (19:37.30) to lead all runners for Delaware State.
Delaware State heads to Princess Anne, Md., for the second time in 2015 to take part in the Cappy Anderson Invitational at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.
For complete story, visit www.dsuhornets.com
Maryland Eastern Shore sweeps second straight meet
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. — The only thing better for the UMES cross country team after their dominant performance last week at the UMES Lid Lifter was to replicate it at the Delaware State Invitational 5k.
They did just that, with the men scoring 21 points and the women scoring 26 to win both races. With both the Hawks and Lady Hawks capturing first place finishes two weeks in a row, the runners from Princess Anne are off to their best start in over a decade.
Once again junior Khalil Rmidi Kinini took first in the men’s race with a time of 15:48 flat. He was followed by two more Hawks—freshman Jordan Leon, who registered a time of 16:34.6 and freshman Stanley Meli’s time of 16:42.4. Another freshman, Nicholas Rivera, scored a top ten placement with a 16:56.3, sixth place finish. Senior Mark Tuwei rounded out the Hawks’ scoring with a ninth place time of 17:07.3.
The Lady Hawks were led by junior Jennaya Hield who came in third place with at 20:33 flat. She was quickly followed by three teammates, starting with fellow junior Rachel Halmon who ran a time of 20:37.3 to take fourth. Freshman Yaminah Smith and senior Jheniel Kelly ran fifth and sixth, respectively, with times of 20:48.4 and 20:52.6. Sophomore Dypna Umunakwe completed the women’s scoring with a time of 21:40.6, but fellow sophomore Janice Lane ran a 21:40.8 to finish ninth and secure a top ten.
UMES will host their second and final cross country meet of the season when they host the Cappy Anderson Invitational on Saturday. First race is scheduled for 10:30 in the morning.
For complete story, visit www.umeshawks.com
NCCU opens season trailing Duke in Bull City Classic
DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University open its cross country season in the “Bull City Classic” at Durham neighbor Duke University, as the host Blue Devils swept the top five positions in both the women’s and men’s races to capture event victories.
Sophomore Shania Nicely topped the Lady Eagles in sixth place with a time of 19:30.3, followed by freshman Jaleesa Smoot in seventh place at 20:22.5.
The NCCU men were led by junior Gregory Coward in sixth place with a time of 22:24.8, while junior Deandre James finished seventh in 22:55.3.
NCCU returns to action on Friday, Sept. 18 at the Wolfpack Invitational hosted by N.C. State in Raleigh.
For complete story, visit www.nccueaglepride.com