FMU finishes 9th and 10th at Royal XC Challenge

CHARLOTTE, NC – The Francis Marion University women’s and men’s cross country teams placed ninth and 10th respectively at the Royal Cross Country Challenge, hosted by Queens University of Charlotte at McAlpine Creek Park late Friday afternoon (Oct. 15).

FMU freshman Whitney Wagner paced the young Patriot women with a 20th-place showing.  She completed the 5,000-meter course in 20:41.

Other FMU women finishers were freshman LaMeisha Jackson in 31st place (21:17), junior Samantha Smith in 51st (22:15), freshman Charity Hawkins in 70th (23:19), freshman London Barnhill in 92nd (25:18), and senior Amanda Booker in 96th (26:04).

Sophomore Ian Wallace again led the Francis Marion men for the fourth straight race.  He placed 18th with a time of 28:21 over the 8,000-meter layout.

Sophomore Justin Albertson finished in 40th position (29:19), junior Ryan Woloszyn in 61st (30:17), senior Ben Miller in 72nd (31:25), and freshman Michael Bigelow in 84th (32:54).

Wallace, Woloszyn, and all the Patriot freshmen on both squads set personal-best times for their respective distances.

Elon University won the women’s team title, while UNC Greensboro captured the men’s team titles.

Both Francis Marion teams will compete in the Mount Olive College Invitational on Friday, Oct. 22.

      Whitney Wagner                       Ian Wallace