GAFFNEY, S.C.— The Francis Marion University men's
and women's cross country teams finished third and sixth
respectively at the Limestone College Invitational Meet, Saturday
morning (Sept. 20) in Gaffney. Patriot junior Hillary Kiprop won
the 5-five men's race with a time of 25:55, while Patriot
senior Kelly May smashed the school record in the women's
5,000-meter race.
St. Andrews Presbyterian College won the 9-team men's race
with 25 points, followed by Truett-McConnell College (56) and
Francis Marion (71). Limestone captured the women's team
title with 62 points, edging Catawba College (63) by one point. FMU
compiled a 116 team score.
Kiprop finished two seconds ahead of Mitch Cooper of St. Andrews to
win the men's event. FMU sophomore Ben Miller placed 13th
(28:25) one spot ahead of senior Steven Holmes (28:28). Other
Patriot finishers were Dan Brann (28:58) in 19th place, Adam Wilson
(29:48) in 29th, Jerry Roth (30:03) in 32th, Bryson Robinson
(36:07) in 56th, and T.J. Simmons (36:08) in 57th.
Catawba's Olivia Jacobs won the women's race with a
time of 18:22, while May placed third. Her time of 18:53 was 17
seconds better than the previous women's mark of 19:10 set by
Nicole Hoeppner at the Overton's/Pirate (ECU) Invitational in
2003. The time bettered her own personal-best time by an amazing 49
seconds.
Two other Patriots also set personal-best times: Amanda Doyle
finished 14th in 20:00 (sixth-best time in school history) and
Samantha Smith placed 22nd in 20:52. Kim Richardson (22:48)
finished 38th, Holly Todd (23:58) 51st, and Amanda Booker (26:01)
61st to round out the FMU women's runners.
Francis Marion will return to action on Oct. 4 at the Elite Cross
Country Invitational in Due West, S.C.
Limestone College Invitational Meet
Men's Team
Standings
1 St. Andrews 25
2 Truett-McConnell College 56
3 Francis Marion Univ. 71
4 Southern Wesleyan Univ. 109
5 Catawba College 153
6 Newberry College 155
7 Limestone College 160
8 North Greenville Univ. 194
9 Piedmont College DNS
Women's Team
Standings
1 Limestone College 62
2 Catawba College 63
3 St. Andrews 71
4 Southern Wesleyan Univ. 92
5 USC Aiken 107
6 Francis Marion Univ. 116
7 North Greenville Univ. 178
8 Piedmont College 215
9 Truett-McConnell College 232
10 Newberry College DN
