FAYETTEVILLE, NC – Led by freshman
Rowan Hearn's second-place showing, Francis Marion University placed seven runners in the Top 10 and cruised to the women's team title at the Downback Invitational Cross Country Meet, held on Friday evening (Sept. 6). The FMU men placed fourth in the men's event.
The meet kicked off the 2024 running season for Francis Marion. The Patriots will return to action on Sept. 21 at the Converse University Kick-Off Meet in Spartanburg.
In the women's 4,000-meter race, Francis Marion registered a 23 team score to easily outdistance host Methodist University (58), local-rival Coker University (65), and conference foe Barton College (95).
It is the team's second win in the past eight meets dating back to a victory at the 2022 Sand Shark Invitational.
In her first collegiate race, Hearn completed the course in a time of 18:30.47. West Florence High School product and FMU junior
MacKinley Perry placed fifth in 19:19.54, while sophomore
Emily Gaines was sixth (19:41.60), freshman
Emma Steen was seventh (19:49.52), Latta High School product and freshman
Katelynn Roberts was eighth (20:00.04), fellow West Florence graduate and Patriot sophomore
Jordyn Perry was ninth (20:26.50), and Laurence Manning Academy product and FMU sophomore
Meri Ellen Johnson was 10th (20:31.06).
Other Francis Marion finishers were Wilson High School graduate and FMU sophomore
Leigh Detalo in 11th (20:34.75) and St. James High School product and Patriot freshman
Natalie Rose in 18th place (22:34.35).
Louisburg College's Ja'llian Paige won the women's race in a time of 16:45.64.
In the men's 6,000-meter race, Louisburg captured the team title with a 41 score, defeating Barton (54), Methodist ( 58), Francis Marion (75), and Coker (100).
Hartsville High School garduate and FMU sophomore Ethan Hickey was the Patriots' first finisher as he placed 11th with a time of 22:42.72. Freshman Landon Morris, a product of West Florence High School, was 12th with a time of 22:58.54, freshman Caleb Gary was 15th (23:28.92), sophomore Charlie Hall was 17th (23:45.67), and freshman Dominic Rigoni was 20th (23:58.95).
Other Patriot finishers were senior (and West Florence graduate) Tyson Jackson in 26th position (25:14.77), red-shirt freshman (and Marion high School product) Grayson Hartson in 27th (25:18.84), senior Logan Zeis in 29th (25:42.19), sophomore Christopher Applegate in 32nd (26:50.42), freshman (and Trinity Collegiate School graduate) Klay Baker in 37th (29:36.86), senior Michael James in 38th (29:39.79), and freshman (and Hannah-Pamplico High School product) Rayce Shird in 41st (31:16.09).
Derrick Harris of Louisburg won the men's individual title with a time of 20:33.46.
