FMU runners finish Second and Fourth at WU Pre-Conference Invitational

WINGATE, NC - Led by junior Hillary Kiprop and senior Kelly May, the Francis Marion University men's and women's cross country teams finished second and fourth respectively at Thursday afternoon's (Oct. 16) Pre-Conference Invitational Meet hosted by Wingate University.

The host Bulldogs swept the team titles.

Wingate outdistanced the Patriots 44-20 to earn the men's team title. Wingate senior Jayce Watson captured the men's individual title, while Kiprop was second with a time of 16:07 over the 5,000-meter course.

FMU senior Steven Holmes placed ninth with a time of 17:22, while Jerry Roth was 12th (17:41), Ben Miller was 13th (17:46), Dan Brann was 14th (17:48), Adam Wilson was 24th (19:10), and TJ Simmons was 37th (22:08).

May placed second in the women's 5,000-meter race with a time of 20:21, 14 ticks behind the winner - Alycia Andrade of Brevard College.  Other FMU finishers included Amanda Doyle in 13th position with a time of 22:42, Samantha Smith in 18th (23:58), Kim Richardson in 19th (24:06), Holly Todd in 35th (26:44), and Amanda Booker in 42nd (29:17).

Francis Marion will next race at the Peach Belt Conference Championships, Oct., 25 in Milledgeville, Ga.