JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The FGCU men's and women's cross country teams got their 2015 seasons started by competing in the UNF Invitational at the Hayt Golf Center in Jacksonville, Fla., on Saturday morning. Collectively, the two programs placed 11 student-athletes in the top 20 of their respective races. The women saw seven runners crack the threshold, while the men saw four.

Coming off their most successful seasons in program history in 2014, both the men's and women's programs have high expectations for the fall. Saturday, the Eagles used their momentum from a season ago and got their seasons started on the right foot.

"I was pleased with the way the teams competed today," said FGCU head coach Cassandra Goodson. "The conditions were tough, but so are we. Even though the men were missing some key runners, this was a better start to their season than last year. The women ran in a nice, strong pack and put together some good times for this meet."

The women's team competed with a full squad and turned in a consistent performance as eight Eagles finished among the top-22 runners. Senior Lauren Tarovisky (Wheeling, W.Va./Wheeling Park HS/Morehead State) set the pace for the Green and Blue as she finished fifth overall in a time of 18:47.79, nearly one minute faster than the Eagles' top time in the season-opening meet a year ago. Courtney Corradetti (Oceanside, Calif./Vista HS) finished second for FGCU and crossed 11th overall after running a time of 19:00.76. In her first collegiate meet, Carley Lutzow (Belvidere, Ill./Belvidere HS) clocked a time of 19:06.30 and finished 13th. A quartet of Eagles in Anita Munoz (Immokalee, Fla./Immokalee HS), Regan Farrow (Oviedo, Fla./Lake Howell HS), Morgan Reichert (Pataskala, Ohio/Watkins HS/Ohio) and Stephanie Cajas (Lithia, Fla./Newsome HS) finished 15th-18th in times of 19:16.05, 19:18.40, 19:21.20 and 19:24.61, respectively, and Emily Perkinson (Orlando, Fla./Colonial HS) ran a pace of 21:17.68 and finished 60th.

On the men's side, FGCU raced short-handed but still managed to place all six runners in the top 36 of a 57-man field. Nathan Kandie (Iten, Kenya/Arizona) and Troy Clark (Mt. Dora, Fla./Mt. Dora Bible HS), the Eagles' top two runners from a season ago, picked up where they left off in 2014 as they finished fifth and sixth in times of 25:59.20 and 26:04.94, respectively. Jean Deceus (Immokalee, Fla./Immokalee HS) crossed third for the Green and Blue and 12th overall after running a race of 26:35.41. He was followed closely by Cody Adkinson (Port Charlotte, Fla./Port Charlotte HS), who finished 17th in a time of 26:54.39. Juniors Charles Bengston (West Palm Beach, Fla./John I. Leonard HS) and Mathew Titus (Marlette, Mich./Marlette HS) capped off an overall successful opening meet for FGCU by running races of 28:00.85 and 29:19.80 and finishing 25th and 36th, respectively.

The Eagles will return to Fort Myers and take next weekend off from competition before running in their second meet of 2015 at the UF Mountain Dew Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 19.

WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
5. Lauren Tarovisky – 18:47.79
11. Courtney Corradetti – 19:00.76
13. Carley Lutzow – 19:06.30
15. Anita Munoz – 19:16.05
16. Regan Farrow – 19:18.40
17. Morgan Reichert – 19:21.20
18. Stephanie Cajas – 19:24.61
22. Araceli Leon – 19:38.03
60. Emily Perkinson – 21:17.68

MEN'S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
5. Nathan Kandie – 25:59.20
6. Troy Clark – 26:04.94
12. Jean Deceus – 26:35.41
17. Cody Adkinson – 26:54.39
25. Charles Bengston – 28:00.85
36. Mathew Titus – 29:19.80

UNF XC Invitational Men's Dual Scores Verified
UNF  1, 2, 3, 6, 7, (8, 9)=19
FGCU 4, 5, 10, 11, 12=42
 
UNF 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, (6, 7)=15
JU 8, 9, 10, 11, 12=50
 
UNF 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, (7, 8)=19
KSU 2, 9, 10, 11, 12=44
 
UNF 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, (6, 7)=15
SU 8, 9, 10, 11, 12=50
 
UNF 4 wins, 0 losses
 
FGCU 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, (8)=16
JU 5, 7, 9, 10, 11=42
 
FGCU 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, (9)=21
KSU 1, 6, 8, 10, 11=36
 
FGCU 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, (7)=15
SU 6, 8, 9, 10, 11=44
 
FGCU 3 wins, 1 loss
 
KSU 1, 2, 4, 7, 9=23
JU 3, 5, 6, 8, 10=32
 
SU 3, 5, 7, 9, 10=34
KSU 1, 2, 4, 6, 8=21
 
KSU 2 wins 2 losses
 
JU 1, 3, 4, 7, 11=26
SU 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, (10)=30
 
JU 1 win 3 loss
SU 0 wins, 4 losses

FOLLOW ALONG
For complete coverage of FGCU men's and women's cross country this season, follow us on Twitter @FGCU_XC and visit www.FGCUAthletics.com.

COACH GOODSON
FGCU is led by Cassandra Goodson, whose seven seasons at the helm have taken the Eagles from their humble beginnings to a competitive D-I program, highlighted by three trips to the NCAA Southeast Regional Championship. Every mark in the FGCU all-time record book has been etched during the Goodson era, as she has coached nine A-Sun All-Conference selections, the 2013 Female Conference Runner of the Year and two members of the NCAA South All-Region Team.

SUPPORT THE CAUSE 
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.