ANDERSON, S.C. - Following impressive individual performances a week ago in Charlotte, the Anderson University men's and women's cross country teams are set to compete at the third annual Furman Cross Country Classic, hosted by the Paladins on Saturday on the Furman University Golf Course.
The event will feature 35 men's and 40 women's college teams and 30 boys' and 20 girls' high school teams, with the races kicking off with the Blue Shoes Open 5K at 7:30 a.m. The collegiate women's 6K event will commence at 8:30 a.m., followed by the collegiate men's 8K race at 9:15 a.m.
Olivia Gardner paced the Trojan women's squad last year with a 19th-place finish on a difficult 6K Furman course, with Mason Hazel garnering 35th place on the Paladins' 8K men's route.
Nearly every runner from both squads posted personal-best times in last week's Royals Twilight in Charlotte, with sophomore Haylee Love capturing ninth place. Fellow sophomore Alex Dixon crossed the line in 11th place, while Gardner finished 14th and freshman Martha Coleman captured 16th in her first collegiate outing. Fellow newcomers Maddie Buddenberg and Abigail Bozarth finished 21st and 22nd, respectively.
Juniors Grace Gerlock and Mia Swiersz crossed the line in 26th and 28th place, respectively, while junior Amber Worthy was 31st. Sophomore Allison Halperin finished in 33rd place, with freshman Marion Reeves rounding out the Trojan contingent by crossing the finish line in 36th place.
Hazel led the Trojan men last week in Charlotte by placing 15th,
while juniors Ben Boerma and Ned Kennedy finished 17th and 27th,
respectively. Junior Jesse Patrick claimed 30th, with junior
Michael Burch crossing the line in 42nd. Redshirt freshman John
Drummond placed 49th, while newcomer Mark Bradley rounded out the
Trojan effort in 54th.
