INFO | Royals Challenge results, powered by AthleticLIVE
 
Charlotte, N.C.----The No. 2 Wingate University men's cross country team finished fifth in the 19-team Royals Cross Country Challenge Gold Division Friday. Freshman Justin Rau led the defending South Atlantic Conference and Southeast Region champions, posting a personal-best 8K time of 25:04.23.  Queens University of Charlotte hosted the Royals Challenge at McAlpine Creek Park.
 
NCAA Division I Charlotte won the event with 42 points. NCAA Division II No. 29 Catawba took second place with 66 points. Wingate had 156 points. The Bulldogs defeated NCAA Division I schools Queens, North Carolina Central, Jacksonville and Presbyterian Friday.
 
What They Are Saying
Wingate head cross country coach Pol Domenech
 
"We were extremely pleased with men's effort Friday. We have seen so much improvement from the last time we raced on this course. The depth of our team is great!"
 
Meet Information
Royals Challenge Gold Division
 
Top five teams: Charlotte (42 points), Catawba (66), Augusta (99), Fayetteville State (130) and Wingate (156).
Individual finishers: 175 student-athletes representing 19 schools
School breakdown: 5 NCAA Division I, 13 NCAA Division II, 1 NJCAA
Location: McAlpine Creek Park (pancake course), Charlotte, North Carolina 

Inside the 8K results
- Rau was Wingate's top finisher Friday, taking 18th place
- Each of WU's five counting runners finished in the top 50 Friday
- Freshman JT Hillis finished 32nd with his personal-best 25:22.75 8K
- Sophomore Izan Rodriguez took 39th place with his 25:37.54 8K
- Freshman Klaus Scholz finished 41st with his 8K time of 25:40.81
- Scholz was competing in his first race as a Bulldog Friday
- Sophomore Joshawa Huneycutt was 50th with his 8K time of 25:47.37
- Huneycutt's Friday mark is his new personal-best time
- Augusta graduate student Avery Jaynes won the Gold Division 8K
- Running unattached, Jaynes posted an 8K time of 24:12.79
- Fayetteville State's Brian Kiprop finished second (24:15.29)
- Wingate finished sixth out of 18 teams in the Blue Division Friday
- Freshman Marcus Alloway finished 20th with his 8K time of 26:45.22
- Alloway also posted a new personal-best time on Friday evening
 
Up Next for the No. 2 Wingate Bulldogs
 
Wingate will compete in the South Atlantic Conference meet Saturday, October 25 in Greeneville, Tennessee. The '25 SAC event is hosted by the Tusculum University Pioneers. The NCAA Division II Southeast Regional championships are Saturday, November 8 in Wingate.