Cross Country Hosts MGA/Julius Johnson Invitational

Saturday, September 21

Macon, Ga.

8:45 a.m.

Mercer University

MGA/Julius Johnson Invitational

Cross Country Hosts MGA/Julius Johnson Invitational

9/20/2024 1:46:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country

By: Kaylin Flukey, kaylin.flukey@live.mercer.edu

MACON - The Mercer men's and women's cross country teams will host the MGA/Julius Johnson Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 21 at the Georgia Premier Cross Country Course.

Both squads competed at the Covered Bridge Open in Boone, N.C. on Aug. 30 with the women placing third and the men taking second place. Yianni Pothalakis ran a personal-best time of 18:45.9 to take sixth among 96 runners and the top finisher for the Bears. Nikki Harris posted a personal-best 18:13 to lead the women's team coming in seventh among 104 runners.

The newly renovated Georgia Premier Cross Country Course has hosted many events including Georgia high school cross country state championships, collegiate conference championships for the ASUN and SoCon and regional championships.

The Julius Johnson Invitational is held in tribute to Julius C. Johnson Jr. who graduated from Mercer in 1950 and was a member of the track and field team. Both squads hope to follow in the footsteps of last year's team and take home first place for both sides.

The meet will open at 8 a.m. with the men's 8K and will close out with the women's 5K at 9 a.m.

Teams Competing: Clayton State, Georgia College, Brewton-Parker, Mercer, Georgia Southwestern, Tuskegee, Florida Gateway College, Morehouse, Benedict, Georgia Military College, Clark Atlanta, Fort Valley State, Oxford College, ABAC, Wesleyan, Georgia State and Albany State.