Charlotte, N.C.----The Wingate University cross country teams participated in the Royals Cross Country Challenge Friday, hosted by Queens University of Charlotte at McAlpine Creek Park. The four-race event (two women’s 5K runs and two men’s 8K races) featured 700 runners and 25 schools from NCAA Division I, II and NAIA and NJCAA.

In the men’s gold (first) division, Wingate finished 20th out of 23 teams with 507 points. The Bulldogs outdistanced Anderson (S.C.), Charleston Southern and Spartanburg Methodist. The host Royals won the men’s gold division with 66 points.

Freshman Steve Hammond (Warsaw, Ohio) led Wingate’s gold effort, placing 71st with an 8K time of 26:21. Sophomore Andrew Smith (Oakboro, N.C.) was next, finishing 84th with a time of 26:31. Freshman Binyam Ateka Belachew (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) posted an 8K time of 26:56, good enough for 111th place.

The Wingate men’s navy team was seventh out of 12 teams with 117 points. The Bulldogs defeated Carson-Newman, Pfeiffer, Francis Marion, Coker and North Greenville in the navy division. UNC Greensboro won the men’s navy division with 30 points.

Bulldog junior Ryan Burris (New London, N.C.) led the Wingate navy brigade with a 17th place showing. Burris completed the 8K course in with a personal-best 28:17. Freshman Adam Hampton (Raleigh, N.C.) was the next Wingate scorer, earning a 29th place standing with an 8K time of 28:57.

In the women’s gold (first) division, Wingate finished 18th out of 20 teams with 507 points. The Bulldogs defeated Pfeiffer and Spartanburg Methodist. NCAA Division I number three Florida State University won the women’s gold division with 76 points.

Wingate freshman Keeley Wood (Sanford, N.C.) led the gold group, finishing 102nd with a 5K time of 20:02. Classmate Brianna Stevens (Coshocton, Ohio) was next, clocking a 20:10 to claim the 107th position.

The Bulldog navy collection placed 13th. Elon won the navy division. Wingate freshmen Taylor Keyes (Lenoir, N.C.) and Jordan Gallagher (Norwood, N.C.) led the navy effort, finishing 63rd and 66th, respectively. Keyes posted a 22:40, while Gallagher completed the 5K course in 23:03.

Each school could enter up to eight runners in the first division (the gold). All other runners were entered into the navy division. Unattached runners competed in the gold races. The women’s gold race winner was Shorter (Ga.) senior Justyna Mudy at 17:10. Columbus State’s Meshack Koyiaka was the top men’s finisher with his 8K time of 24:12.0, only 11 seconds away from the course record.