BURTON’S PERSONAL BEST LEADS CROSS COUNTRY AT VA. TECH

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BLACKSBURG, Va. – Junior Courtney Burton set a new personal best to lead the Radford women's cross country team's performances in the first full-length race of the season at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational on Friday.

Burton finished the 6K course in a time of 23:40.48 to better her previous best by 40 seconds. She was the top Highlander finisher in a meet for the first time in her career and placed 50th overall in the 118-runner field.

Fellow junior Courtney Rice clocked a time of 24:00.96 to finish 65th, with freshman Sarah Riley closely behind in 70th with a time of 24:09.73 in her first collegiate 6K. Sophomore Cailyn Lavigne also established a new personal-best with her time of 24:41.77, trimming nearly 30 seconds off of her best time from last season. Freshman Percie Lyons was the team's fifth finisher with a time of 25:43.80.

"Courtney (Burton) did a great job handling the heat with a conservative start, allowing her to have a very strong second half of the race," Radford head coach Eric Thatcher said. "I'm happy to see the hard work that she put in over the summer paying off. Courtney (Rice) and Cailyn also saw improvements from the 4K we ran two weeks ago and Sarah and Percie adjusted to the 6K distance with solid performances."

The Highlanders placed eighth out of 13 teams in the meet, which featured host Virginia Tech, along with Florida State and four strong Ohio programs.

The Radford men did not compete in the meet as a team and their leading returners sat out to prepare for the pre-regional and pre-conference meets that are the following two weeks.

In his first collegiate 8K, freshman Ridge Ellis was the top Highlander finisher, crossing the line in a time of 27:31.80. Sophomore Nathan Burgreen bettered his only previous 8K time by clocking 27:53.42, followed closely by freshman Ashenafi Kidanu in 27:55.09. Freshman Ryan Small clocked a time of 28:10.70 and sophomore Kyle Hetrick rounded Radford's first five in 28:49.47. The group was separated by 21 spots in the 140-runner field.

"Although we may have been pulled out quickly due to the very competitive field, our freshmen and sophomores worked together well," Thatcher said. "Although every guy showed a desire to compete, I thought Ridge Ellis did an especially great job of handling the steep competition."

The Highlanders will return to action Saturday, Sept. 26 as they compete in the Virginia/Panorama Farms Invitational in Earlysville, site of this year's NCAA Southeast Regional.

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Players Mentioned

Courtney Burton: Dis.; 5' 10"; Junior

Cailyn Lavigne: Dis.; 5' 6"; Sophomore

Courtney Rice: Dis.; 5' 6"; Junior

Sarah Riley: Dis.; 5' 6"; Freshman

Percie Lyons: Dis.; 5' 2"; Freshman

Nathan Burgreen: Dis.; 6' 0"; Sophomore

Kyle Hetrick: Dis.; 6' 0"; Redshirt Freshman

Ridge Ellis: Dis.; 5' 8"; Freshman

Ryan Small: Dis.; 5' 10"; Freshman

Ashenafi Kidanu: Dis.; 5' 5"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Courtney Burton
: 5' 10"; Junior
: Dis.

Cailyn Lavigne
: 5' 6"; Sophomore
: Dis.

Courtney Rice
: 5' 6"; Junior
: Dis.

Sarah Riley
: 5' 6"; Freshman
: Dis.

Percie Lyons
: 5' 2"; Freshman
: Dis.

Nathan Burgreen
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: Dis.

Kyle Hetrick
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Freshman
: Dis.

Ridge Ellis
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: Dis.

Ryan Small
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: Dis.

Ashenafi Kidanu
: 5' 5"; Freshman
: Dis.

Radford University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned