Charlotte, N.C.----The Wingate University women's cross country team finished fourth in the non-NCAA Division I section of the Charlotte 49er Invitational at McAlpine Creek Park Friday. The Bulldogs compiled 125 points. SCAD Savannah took first place with 46 points, followed by Tennessee Wesleyan (74) and Mars Hill (117). Fourteen non-Division I teams and seven Division I squads compiled team scores in this year's event (
women's results,
men's results).
Wingate sophomore
Alyssa Johnson (San Jose, Calif.) finished fifth with a 6K time of 23:02.5. Junior
Samantha Haering (Chalfont, Pa.) was 21st (24:10.0), while graduate student
Brianna Stevens (Coshocton, Ohio) was 25th (24:17.2).
"I thought we ran smart and really progressed as the race moved along," Wingate head cross country coach
Joe Soehnlen says. "AJ did a good job leading us. I was also impressed with Sam…she really fought the second half (of the race)."
Bulldog senior
Austin Hoffman (Valdese, N.C.) was 35th with a 6K time of 24:45.0. Freshman
Michelle Glenn (Monroe, N.C.) completed Wingate's team score with her 39th place performance (24:55.9). Glenn was running in her first race for the Navy Blue and Vegas Gold Bulldogs.
Wingate graduate student
Tiana Barnes (Winchester, Calif.) and freshman
Zaria Livingston (Charlotte, N.C.) were close on Glenn's heels, completing the 6K course with times of 24:57.0 and 24:58.8, respectively. Barnes was 40th, while Livingston claimed 42nd place.
Freshman
Valerie Griesche (Ingolstadt, Germany) posted a 6K time of 25:12.4, 13 seconds better than her 25:25.45 clocking at the Furman University XC Invitational Sept. 6. Bulldog freshman
Juliet Salgueiro (Savannah, Ga.) ran a 31:41.3 6K Friday.
The Bulldogs will preview the 2014 national championship course Saturday, Oct. 4, as Wingate will participate in the Greater Louisville Cross Country Classic in Louisville, Ky. In 2013, Wingate won the South Atlantic Conference and Southeast Regional meets, advancing to the NCAA Division II national championship meet in Spokane, Wash.
