PEMBROKE, NC – Junior Christian England registered a personal-best time and junior Sarah Harris paced the Patriot women in her return to the sport of cross country as Francis Marion University opened its 2020 season at the Braves' Twilight dual meet on Friday evening (Oct. 2). UNC Pembroke captured the men's race by a 15-45 score and the women's race by a 15-40 count.

RESULTS
 
England finished seventh in the 5,000-meter men's race with a personal-best time of 17:19.93, nearly two minutes better than his previous best.
 
Patriot freshman Logan Zeis placed eighth in his first collegiate race with a time of 17:41.79, while freshman Pearson Mixon (18:13.43) was ninth, junior Anthony Melo (21:41.52) was 10th, freshman Gabriel Mosley (23:21.02) was 11th, and freshman Coleman Nance (26:40.87) was 12th.  Altogether four Patriot men were running in their first college race.
    
Harris, a graduate of The King's Academy, led the FMU women with a sixth-place finish as she covered the 5,000-meter course in 22:37.16.  The Timmonsville native attended Anderson University for two years, but did not run cross country. 
 
Francis Marion sophomore Angela Kasitz followed Harris in seventh place with a time of 23:15.16.  FMU freshman Molly Moss (23:47.95) was eighth, while freshman Annalena Griffin (24:32.04) was ninth, freshman Ina Marie Sullivan (24:45.47) was 10th, and sophomore Sarah Driggers (31:51.22) was 11th.   
 
UNCP sophomore Hunter Levy was the first men's finisher in a time of 15:53.01, while Braves senior Riley Axe won the women's race with a time of 19:54.18.
 
Both Francis Marion squads will run in the Royals XC Challenge hosted by Queens University of Charlotte on Friday afternoon (Oct. 9) at 4:30 p.m.