Women 4th, Men 5th At Firetower Project Run

Friday, September 1

Boone, N.C.

4 p.m.

Mercer University

Firetower Project Run

9/1/2023 4:12:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country

Women's 5K Results Men's 8K Results

MACON - Mercer men's and women's cross country opened up the season today at the Firetower Project Run in Boone, N.C. hosted by Appalachian State. Both teams posted record numbers, with the women running a team average of one minute and seven seconds faster and the men running 44 seconds faster than at this meet last year. This women's average time of 18:37 is a school record. Junior Kamila Soja's time of 17:44 is third all-time in Mercer cross country history.

The Mercer men's team placed fifth overall with all scoring runners placing in the top 50. Senior Joshua Kraver led the team, placing 17th in a time of 25:09 for 8k. Sophomore Buck Ledford ran 25:58 to place 32nd, junior Jonathan Green ran 26:06 for 36th place and senior Cato Reece was not far behind in 26:09 placing 38th. Sophomore Jacob Peters crossed the line in 26:25 for 43rd place to round out the top five.

The women's team placed fourth overall with three in the top 15. Kamila Soja placed second overall in 17:44 for 5k, senior Patrycja Maizek placed seventh in 18:11, senior Bri Teegarden placed 15th in 18:36, sophomore Olivia Jones placed 30th in 19:08, and junior Annette Rodriguez placed 35th in 19:24 to round out the top five.

The Bears' next race will be the Julius Johnson/MGA Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Georgia Premier Cross Country Course in Macon, Ga.

FIRETOWER PROJECT RUN (SEPTEMBER 1)
WOMEN'S 5K		MEN'S 8K
*Winner: Alyson Churchill, Florida State (16:23.48)*		Winner: Abdirizak Ibrahim, Florida State (23:53.56)
2	! Kamila Soja, 17:44.42	17	! Josh Kraver, 25:09.13
7	! Patrycja Miazek, 18:11.73	32	! Buck Ledford, 25:58.10
15	! Bri Teegarden, 18:36.28	36	Jonathan Greene, 26:06.25
30	! Olivia Jones, 19:08.14	38	Reece Cato, 26:09.43
35	! Annette Rodriguez-Olvera, 19:24.91	43	! Jake Peters, 26:25.80
50	Sarah Myers, 20:01.97	50	Nick Frye, 26:35.39
52	Iris Porter, 20:06.70	69	Chinmay Dongari, 27:18.98
63	Penny Jackson, 20:22.78	75	! Will Nash, 27:31.15
68	Reese Robertson, 20:28.34	76	Peyton Millwood, 27:32.76
		77	Henning Kunze 27:34.19
		85	Sebasthian Rodriguez, 27:51.47
		97	River Livingston, 28:48.96
! = Personal Best