NEWS | Official SAC release
 
Rock Hill, S.C.----Wingate University junior Joaquin Campos and sophomore Firdaouss Hriche are this week's South Atlantic Conference WePlayed Sports Cross Country Runners of the Week, league officials announce Tuesday. Both student-athletes earn this distinction for the first time in their respective #WUXC careers.
 
Joaquin Campos
 
Campos led the No. 1 Bulldogs at the Paul Short Run Friday with his personal-best 8K time of 23:31.4. He finished 16th in the PSR Gold Division. Thanks to the efforts of Campos and his teammates, the Wingate men's cross country team finished fifth in the 40-team Paul Short Run College Gold Division.
 
The defending SAC and Southeast Region champion Bulldogs defeated NCAA Division I Penn State, Navy, Villanova, Syracuse and Pittsburgh in the PSR Gold Division. Wingate also vanquished NCAA Division III powerhouse Johns Hopkins. The 'Dogs won the Paul Short Run Gold Division team title in 2024.
 
Firdaouss Hriche
 
Hriche led the No. 5 Bulldogs at the Paul Short Run Friday with her personal-best time of 20:48.9, shattering her previous PR by 39 seconds. Thanks to the efforts of Hriche and her teammates, the Wingate women's cross country team finished 16th in the 40-team Paul Short Run College Gold Division.
 
Defending SAC and Southeast Region champion Wingate defeated Division I stalwarts Maryland and Brown and NCAA Division III powerhouses Johns Hopkins and MIT, among others. The Paul Short Run is the largest NCAA XC meet in the nation.
 
What They Are Saying
Wingate head cross country coach Pol Domenech

On Joaquin Campos: "We're so proud of Joaquin. He had a great performance this past weekend while leading the team to a strong finish. We knew he was in a great place in his training cycle. It's exciting to see Joaquin put it all together. Now it's time to get back to work and keep building on what we learned from the weekend."
 
On Firdaouss Hriche: "Firdaouss raced in her characteristic fearless style…she went out hard, pushed the pace early and showed her strength in the second half by holding on for a great time. Firdaouss led the team to an impressive overall performance…this race gives us a lot to be excited about as we build toward November."
 
On the Horizon for the Bulldogs
 
Both Wingate teams will compete in the Queens University of Charlotte Royals XC Challenge Friday, October 10 at McAlpine Creek Park. The South Atlantic Conference meet is Saturday, October 25, hosted by the Tusculum University Pioneers. The NCAA Division II Southeast Regional championships are Saturday, November 8 in Wingate.
 
Wingate University
 
Wingate University is a lab of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina and offers 60 degree pathways, including 37 undergraduate majors, 10 pre-professional tracks and five dual-degree programs. Graduate students choose from seven master's and five doctoral programs. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a leader in healthcare education where nearly one in five undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 30 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award the past 17 times it has been awarded. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.
 
OneDog, #OneDog, and One Day One Dog are registered trademarks of Wingate University.