YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – Making her collegiate debut, freshman
Katherine Hopkins finished as the individual winner of the Young Harris Invitational guiding the Western Carolina women's cross country team to a first place showing in the season-opening meet on Friday afternoon.
The Catamount men's squad posted a third-place finish in the season-opening 6K race.
Hopkins navigated the 4K course with a winning time of 15:14.30.
Landey Green finished in fifth place with a time of 15:55.50 followed by
Grace Lane in sixth at 15:57.10.
Sydney Runyan placed eighth as she crossed the finish line in 16:08.70.
Amaya Hicks finished 13
th with a time of 16:20.40 followed by
Alesea Caldwell in 18
th in 16:30.60.
Sara Klemm was the final Catamount runner to finish in a scoring position as she placed 21
st with a time of 16:38.30. The team scored 33 points to earn the win over Montreat (44 points), and North Georgia (75 points). It is the first time the WCU women earned first place in the team standings since taking the 2016 UNC Asheville Cross Country Invitational.
Other WCU finishers include Summer Kingston (16:48.20),
Madelynn Duffield (16:51.10),
Riley McKinney (16:51.70),
Peyton Skoglund (16:54.0),
Lauren Esselborn (17:11.30),
Sydney Lowe (17:54.30), and
Chloe Davis (18:36.40).
The Catamount men's team was led by
Drew Zink who completed the 6K race in a time of 18:52.50 to earn an eighth-place finish.
Will Mitchell finished in ninth with a time of 18:57.0 followed by
Jalen Elwell in 11
th at 18:59.80 and
John Davis in 12
th with a time of 18:59.90.
Matthew Womack finished 17
th with a time of 19:11.90 followed by
Nicholas Kiser in 21
st with a time of 19:25.50 and
Andrew Edney in 22
nd with a time of 19:26.30.
Additional WCU finishers include
Lawson Mecom (19:32.60),
Matthew Martin (19:42.90),
Knox Witherspoon (19:49.10),
Jonny Sherwood (19:51.70), and
Peter Schihl (20:10.40).
WCU cross country takes a training break until Sept. 30 when the Catamounts return to action at the Live in Lou Invitational in Louisville, Ky.
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).
