BOONE, N.C. – Senior Kate Mattison and freshman Will Mitchell paced the Western Carolina cross country teams at the season-opening Covered Bridge Open hosted by Appalachian State on Friday afternoon.
 
"I felt like we had a decent start as a team," said head coach Jesse Norman. "Compared to the last couple of years, our team average time was a huge step forward for the program. I'm excited for Kate (Mattison) who got a PR and moved up on the all-time list. Now we get back to work and see how much we can chop off before our next race."
 
Competing against a stout field, Mattison ran a 5K personal best time of 18:16.19 to finish in 23rd place. Mattison moved into 11^th place on WCU's all-time top 5K times, eclipsing her previous personal best of 18:26 at the SoCon Championship last fall. Sophomore Sydney Runyan finished with a personal best time of 19:49.40 for a 59th-place finish. Freshmen Alesea Caldwell and Madelynn Duffield finished in 61st and 62nd place with times of 19:48.63 and 19:50.18 respectively. Classmate Sara Klemm finished just under the 20-minute mark with a time of 19:55.16, earning a 67th-place result.
 
Freshman Madeleine Wagner completed her first collegiate race in 20:01.86, crossing the finish line 73^rd. Freshman Isabelle Broman-Fulks was the final scoring position in 95^th with a time of 20:31.81. Other finishers for WCU include Caroline Schoessow (20:55.55), Maggie Klemm (21:53.07), Olivia Gemma (22:13.33), Clara Root (23:02.16), and Alayna Suitte (23:14.83). The Catamounts compiled a team average time of 19:30.12.
 
On the men's side, Mitchell completed his first collegiate 8K race in 26:31.71, finishing in 41^st. Classmate Justin Hayes finished 46^th with a time of 26:42.48. Sophomore Drew Zink ran a personal best 26:51.13 to finish in 50^th. Junior Clay Summers finished with a personal best time of 28:17.06 to finish in 88^th followed by junior transfer Jalen Elwell in 93^rd at 28:35.10. Freshman John Davis finished with a time of 29:13.22 to finish in 105^th ahead of classmate Nicholas Kiser in 109^th at 29:19.94. Additional Catamount finishers include Henry Stecher (29:39.02), Joshua Stapleton (29:49.36), and Andrew Edney (30:13.66). The men's team put together a team average time of 27:23.50.
 
In the team standings, the Catamounts finished 10th in both the men's and women's team standings. Florida State was the team winner for both races.
 
WCU is off from competition for nearly a month, returning to action on Oct. 2 at the Asics/Alexander Invite in Fairburn, Ga.

Keep track of everything related to Catamount cross country and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports) and Twitter (@catamounts, @catamountxctf).
 
Women's Results: 5K
23. Kate Mattison – 18:16.19
59. Sydney Runyan – 19:49.40
61. Alesea Caldwell – 19:48.63
62. Madelynn Duffield – 19:50.18
67. Sara Klemm – 19:55.16
73. Madeleine Wagner – 20:01.86
95. Isabelle Broman-Fulks – 20:31.81
102. Caroline Schoessow – 20:55.55
116. Maggie Klemm – 21:53.07
118. Olivia Gemma – 22:13.33
123. Clara Root – 23:02.16
124. Alayna Suitte – 23:14.83
 
Men's Results: 8K
41. Will Mitchell – 26:31.71
46. Justin Hayes – 26:42.48
50. Drew Zink – 26:51.13
88. Clay Summers – 28:17.06
93. Jalen Elwell – 28:35.10
105. John Davis – 29:13.22
109. Nicholas Kiser – 29:19.94
113. Henry Stecher – 29:39.02
117. Joshua Stapleton – 29:49.36
124. Andrew Edney – 30:13.66