INFO | Converse Kick-Off women's results
 
Spartanburg, S.C.----The No. 3 Wingate University women's cross country team had four of the top 25 finishers to earn a fourth-place showing in the 2026 Converse Kick-Off at the Milliken Research Park Saturday. The Converse Kick-Off serves as a preview race for the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional in November.
 
Wingate posted 84 points. NCAA Division I UNC Asheville won the race with 52 points. NCAA Division III No. 15 Emory was second with 66 points. No. 24 Catawba was the top South Atlantic Conference finisher, taking the bronze medal with 69 points. Wingate junior Maud Lambotte led the Bulldogs, finishing fourth with her 6K time of 22:17.6.
 
What They Are Saying
Wingate junior student-athlete Baia Touza
 
"This event was a solid start to the season for us. I thought we exhibited great teamwork throughout the race."
 
Meet Information

Top five teams: UNC Asheville (52 points), Emory (66), Catawba (69), Wingate (84) and Anderson (121)
Individual finishers: 128 student-athletes with 15 schools recording a team score
Location: Milliken Research Park, Spartanburg, S.C. (Converse University, host)
 
Inside the 6K Race Results
 
- The Converse Kick-Off event was the first '26 race for the WU women
- Senior Maria Chacha was WU's No. 2 finisher, taking 11th place (22:54.6)
- Freshman Taylor Peahl had a solid first race for Wingate
- Peahl earned a 19th place showing, thanks to her 6K time of 23:12.3
- Touza and freshman Amparo Herrera rounded out Wingate's counting times
- Touza was 22nd place (23:20.3), while Herrera was 29th place (23:49.8)
 
Notables
 
- UNC Asheville swept the team and individual titles
- Individually, UNCA sophomore Adela Konirova won the 6K race (21:33.2)
- The UNCA Bulldogs had five runners in the top 25
- Three UNCA runners finished in the top 10 individually
- Anderson senior Kennedy Roush finished second (21:53.7)
- Catawba sophomore Mandi Pollard charted third (22:11.8)
- Five South Atlantic Conference schools competed Saturday
- Anderson, Catawba, Lenoir-Rhyne and LMU joined Wingate
 
Up Next for the No. 3 Wingate Bulldogs
 
Wingate ventures to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania for the Paul Short Run October 2. Lehigh University hosts this race on its Goodman Campus Cross Country course. Lehigh is WU director of cross country and track and field Matt van Lierop's alma mater.
 
Wingate University
 
Wingate University is a lab of difference-making that serves more than 3,600 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 18 times it has been awarded. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.
 
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