Greenville, S.C.----The Wingate University cross country teams participated in the 2014 Furman University XC Invitational Saturday. The Wingate women claimed eighth place among 25 schools (NCAA I and II and NAIA), while the Bulldog men were 12th among 17 institutions (complete results).
 
"(We had) good efforts by most of our runners today," Wingate head cross country coach Joe Soehnlen says. "We had really humid conditions, but we dealt with it pretty well."
 
In the women's 6K race, sophomore Alyssa Johnson (San Jose, Calif.) finished 10th with a time of 23:18.25. Classmate Ashley Hinderer (Uniontown, Ohio) was 20th with a time of 24:01.82. Junior Samantha Haering (Chalfont, Pa.) and graduate student Brianna Stevens (Coshocton, Ohio) were 34th (24:44.66) and 38th (24:51.96), respectively.
 
Freshman Valerie Griesche (Ingolstadt, Germany) finished 57th with her 6K time of 25:25.45 to round out Wingate's team point scorers. Only North Georgia outscored Wingate among 12 NCAA Division II teams Saturday. "Once our women are back at full strength, we'll really see where we are," Soehnlen says.
 
Wingate junior Mike Hering (Englewood, Fla.) led the Bulldog men with an 8K time of 27:07.27. A transfer from Montreat, Hering finished 25th in the stellar field. Sophomore Nepolian Patel (Bailey, N.C.) was 28th with a time of 27:23.70. Classmate Alex Craig (Lenoir, N.C.) was 33rd with a time of 27:33.10.
 
Redshirt freshman Anthony Gaudin (Orleans, France) was next on the Bulldog charts with his time of 27:56.14. The Shorter (Ga.) transfer finished 43rd. Sophomore Dustin Hickernell (Fleetwood, N.C.) completed Wingate's top five with his 8K time of 29:24.25. The Watauga High product finished 68th. "On the men's side, we are improving," Soehnlen says. "We still need some individuals to step up."
 
Next on the horizon for the Wingate teams is the Charlotte 49er Invitational on Friday, Sept. 26. The Bulldogs will preview the national championship course Saturday, Oct. 4, as the Wingate teams will venture to the Greater Louisville Cross Country Classic in Louisville, Ky.