HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Grad student Osman Humeida (South Riding, Va. /Freedom HS/Virginia Tech) set a new men's cross country program record in the 8K to highlight FGCU's performances at the North Alabama Showcase on Friday morning. The men's team placed 17th overall, while the women's team placed 19^th.
 
"Obviously proud of Osman's historical finish and record! He has worked hard and developed nicely," said head coach Cassandra Goodson. "I'm also very proud of Bus and establishing himself as the third best runner in FGCU history right between Lucas Kiprotich and Argeo Cruz, All the men executed the race plan that we talked about and raced like they've been training by supporting one another and leaving it all out on the course. The women also had a solid day! We are so happy that Blake had such a big PR today. Also, Karley running just seconds behind her PR so early in the season is exciting! It was good to see Mary and Reilly running together. They beat some good teams in the conference and improved by beating some teams that we lost to last week".
 
Humeida previously broke the school record last season at the ASUN Championships with a time of 24:31.4. This morning he ran 24:01.60 seconds to set a record and placed 11^th out of a very highly competitive field that included a total of 360 runners. The Virginia native crossed the line before all other ASUN competitors and ran faster than the last two ASUN Runners of the Week.
 
Up next was Bus Baker (Richmond, Va./Appomattox Regional Governor's School Radford/Louisville) who placed 56th (24:40.40). His time moved him to the third best Eagle time in the 8K.  Bramwell Havi (St. Louis/Mo./Lindenwood), who crossed the line with a time of 25:54.32, placed 154^th.

Alabama earned first place with three runners among the top 10 to finish with a total of 74 points, Kentucky was second with 94 and Georgia Tech finished in the third spot with a total of 109 points.
 
The women's team finished 19^th overall and was led by sophomore Karley Piers (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth HS) who improved from the UCF Invite (19:03.6) to finish 58^th with a time of 18:05.53. Sophomore Blake Petrick (St. Johns, Fla. /Creekside HS) lowered her time from two weeks ago by one minute and 22 seconds to finish 103^rd with a personal best time of 18:30.25.

Freshman Gabrielle Spain (Sioux Falls, S.D./Sioux Falls Washington HS) finished 21 spots behind in 124^th (18:39.33), also improving her time of 19:40.5 from the UCF Invite.


The women's overall team standings were the same as the men with Alabama earning first place with two runners among the top 10 to finish with a total of 73 points, Kentucky was second with 78 and Georgia Tech finished in the third spot with a total of 110 points.


FGCU will return to action on Friday, Oct. 7 when the Eagles head to the FSU Invitational.


Men's Top 10 Team Finishes:

1. Alabama – 74 points
2. Kentucky – 94 points
3. Georgia Tech – 109 points
4. Lee – 141 points
5. Memphis – 188 points
6. Auburn – 221 points
7. Eastern Kentucky – 259 points
8. Mississippi College – 274 points
9. South Alabama – 277 points
10. Georgia – 259 points

17. FGCU – 452 points
 
 
Men's Team Individual FGCU Results:
11. Osman Humeida - 24:01.60
56. Bus Baker – 24:40.40
154. Bramwell Havi – 25:54.32
172 Franklin Caceres (Cape Coral, Fla. /Ida S. Baker HS) – 26:16.76
177. Abel Ramos (Riverside, Calif. / Riverside City College) – 26:19.83
184. Israel Gamez (Ruskin, Fla. /Lennard HS) – 26:27.03
190. Mathew Speruta (Cape Coral, Fla. /Ida S. Baker HS) – 26:28.93



Women's Top 10 Team Finishes:

1. Alabama – 73 points
2. Kentucky – 78 points
3. Georgia Tech – 110 points
4. Auburn – 125 points
5. Kennesaw State – 189 points
6. Southern Miss. – 196 points
7. Lee – 204 points
8. Eastern Kentucky  – 251 points
9. UCF  – 255 points
10. Samford  – 264 points

19. FGCU – 574 points
 
Women's Team Individual FGCU Results:
58. Karley Piers - 18:05.53
103. Blake Petrick – 18:30.25
124. Gabrielle Spain – 18:39.33
206. Emme Beaupre (Palatine, Ill. /William Fremd Hs) – 19:25.55
210. Reilly Ritter (Tabernacle, N.J/ Seneca HS) – 19:26.18
216. Mary McCullough (Highlands Ranch, Colo. /Colorado Meda) – 19:30.15t
 
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 15 seasons at the helm have taken the Eagles from their humble beginnings to a competitive D-I program, highlighted by eight trips to the NCAA South Regional Championship. Every mark in the FGCU all-time record book has been etched during the Goodson era, as she has coached 21 ASUN All-Conference selections, the 2013 Female Conference Runner of the Year and three members of the NCAA South All-Region Team.

#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events in November and April 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.

ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 92 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 15 seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just 11 seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 45 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. In 2022, the men's golf team became the first program to earn at at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. Eight FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including women's basketball (No. 20, 2021-22), beach volleyball (No. 20, 2022) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as four of the most recent. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. In 2018-19, the Eagles had an ASUN and state of Florida best seven teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.50 GPA in the classroom in the fall 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 26 consecutive semesters. The past five semesters (Fall 2019 – Spring 2022) saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher cumulative team GPA. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours in 2017 - being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.