HIGHLANDER MEN PLACE SECOND AT ASHEVILLE CHALLENGE

Saturday, October 1

Asheville, NC

9:45AM

Radford University

UNC Asheville Challenge (Big South Preview)

Photo by: Radford Athletics Communications

HIGHLANDER MEN PLACE SECOND AT ASHEVILLE CHALLENGE

10/1/2016 6:43:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country

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Men's Results | Women's Results

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Frisco Poole notched a top-five finish and six teammates ran personal best times as the Radford men's cross country team took runner-up honors at the UNC Asheville Challenge Saturday, while besting all of the Big South competition in the meet.

Running on the course that will host this year's conference championships, the Highlanders placed five runners among the first 22 overall finishers, including two in the top 10 and three of the first 12. They compiled a team score of 59, trailing winner Mars Hill University by just four points and finishing well ahead of third-place UNC Asheville (95) and fourth-place High Point (111). Campbell, one of the league favorites, did not field its top runners and placed 10th.

Competing in his first collegiate 8K race, Poole clocked a time of 25:47.19 to place fourth overall and third among all attached runners. He crossed the line less than a second behind the third-place runner.

Cameron Mims also notched a top-10 finish, placing ninth overall in 26:22.35, while teammate Ashenafi Kidanu close behind in 12th with a time of 26:37.18. Mak Casey crossed the line in 26:52.44 to take 17th position and Haben Zemichael rounded out the RU top five in 22nd with a time of 26:58.07.

Also for the Highlanders, freshman Logan Griffith lowered his 8K time from two weeks ago by more than a minute, clocking 27:21.17 and Ryan Small had a strong season debut with a 27:24.37, his best career 8K time.

"Our men's result is a product of the consistency in our training for the last four weeks and focus we brought to this business trip," Radford head coach Eric Thatcher said. "And we feel good about continuing to improve with our young team. A result like today provides clarity for our goals when we return to Asheville in four weeks."

The Radford women placed seventh in their first 5K race of the campaign after a slow start. They were led by Courtney Burton, who clocked 19:39.69 to finish 18th overall. Courtney Rice followed closely in the 23rd spot with a time of 19:53.14.

Mariah Quintero was RU's third finisher for the second straight race, coming in 28th in 20:11.56, with Percie Lyons just two spots behind with a time of 20:12.40. Allison Brennan completed the Highlanders' scoring five and posted a personal-best 21:00.00.

"Our women firmly believe that their result does not align with the work they have been putting in," Thatcher said. "I was proud of our efforts to close the gaps in the second half and move through the traffic on a tight course."

Radford will next compete at the VertCross Invitational hosted by High Point on Oct. 14, its final meet leading up to the Big South Championships.

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