TAMPA – The FGCU men's and women's cross country teams continue action in the 2014 season at the South Florida Invitational on Friday, Sept. 5. Racing through The Claw golf course, located just off the campus of USF, the women's 5K is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. followed by the men's 8K at 5:30 p.m.
Making their inaugural appearance in the invite, the Eagles will be joined by 14 others to race in Tampa including in-state rivals FAU, FIU, Miami, UCF and host USF. In the 2013 competition USF claimed the top spot in the women's race, while FAU took first in the men's event.
"We are looking forward to competing in a larger field tomorrow at USF," head coach
Cassandra Goodson said. "We're racing against some talented teams at night on a course we've never seen before. It will be nice to see who steps up in these very early competitions."
Ready face skilled opponents, the Green and Blue look forward to Friday with confidence as they aim to build on the success they have registered early this year. Opening the season at the Stetson Hatter Invite last weekend, the FGCU women's team placed first overall while the men took third after runners donning the Green and Blue were the first to cross the finish line in both races.
In the women's 5k, newcomer
Brooke Sill (Lake Zurich, Ill./Eastern Illinois University) made her cross country debut by clocking a 19:39.56 to take home gold. Finishing second was
Alicen Wilbur (Pine Island, Fla./Ida S. Baker HS) recording a 19:43.81, followed by
Courtney Corradetti (Oceanside, Calif./Vista HS) in third with a 19:46.83. Placing fifth overall was
Stephanie Cajas (Lithia, Fla./Newsome HS) clocking a 19:48.92, before
Lauren Tarovisky (Wheeling, W.V./Wheeling Park HS/Moorehead State University) and
Anita Munoz (Immokalee, Fla./Immokalee HS) finished in sixth (19:50.95) and seventh (19:51.37), respectively. Rounding out the top-10 finishes for FGCU was
Regan Farrow (Oviedo, Fla./Lake Howell HS) who took eighth with a 19:51.79.
For the second-consecutive year, junior
Nathan Kandie (Iten, Kenya/Arizona) began his season with a first-place individual finish, winning the men's 8K with a 26:32.33. Next to cross for FGCU was
Troy Clark (Mount Dora, Fla./Mt. Dora Bible HS), placing fifth overall (27:00.28), before
Courtland Bernard (Sarasota, Fla./Sarasota HS) took ninth (27:25.28). Team co-captain
Jean Deceus (Immokalee, Fla./Immokalee HS) finished 12th (27:39.73) followed by
Jose Cartagena (Guatemala City, Guatemala/Estero HS) in 17th (28:27.89). Completing the Eagles showing were
Charles Bengston (West Palm Beach, Fla./John I. Leonard HS) taking 21st (28:27.89) and
Leonel Delacruz (Immokalee, Fla./Immokalee HS) finishing 23rd (28:54.89).
After they return from Tampa, the Eagles will travel to Gainesville for the Mountain Dew Invitational hosted by the University of Florida on Sept. 20. For complete coverage of FGCU men's and women's cross country at the South Florida Invite, follow us on Twitter @FGCU_XC and visit
www.FGCUAthletics.com.
MEET DETAILSComplete field: Embry-Riddle, Florida A&M, Florida Atlantic, Flagler, FGCU, Florida Southern, Florida Tech, FIU, Miami, Nova Southeastern, Pasco-Hernando State, Tampa, UCF, USF and Saint Leo.
Parking: Spectators should park at the main entrance to The Claw golf course off of 46th street.
