ORLANDO, Fla. – Grad student Osman Humeida (South Riding, Va./Freedom HS/Virginia Tech) took the individual title at the UCF Invitational and helped the FGCU men's cross country team to a third place overall finish in the highly competitive meet. The Virginia native stopped the clock in 15:32.1 a full 12 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Josh Stern from Florida. 

"It's always exciting to have an individual champion. Osman ran a smart race alongside his teammate Bus, they were patient, and finished strong. Also Matt [Speruta] really stepped up for us in his first collegiate race," said head coach Cassandra Goodson. "On the women's side I was really proud of how everybody kept fighting. Karley [Piers] being our top finisher and getting those low points, Gabby [Spain] with her first collegiate race helped and Blake [Petrick] and Reilly [Ritter] have really grown since last year as fierce competitors. I'm also really proud of Emme [Beaupre] being out a lot of last season having her first race back that was exciting. This is a good start to the season. Both teams put in a good effort. They ran together and beat some good teams".
 
Humeida is the first Eagle to win the individual title at the UCF Invitational in the program's history. 

Joining Humeida in the top 10 was senior Bus Baker (Richmond, Va. Appomattox Regional Governor's School Radford/Louisville) who placed ninth (15:59.8) and freshman Matthew Speruta (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida Baker HS) who took the 22^nd spot (15:57.00) in the first collegiate race of his career. Junior Abel Ramos (Riverside, Calif. /Riverside CC) and freshman Israel Gamez (Ruskin, Fla. /Lennard HS) each finished among the top 30 recording 25^th (16:44.6) and 30^th (16:58.6) place finishes, respectively.
 
Florida earned first place with seven runners among the top 12 to finish with a total of 27 points, Miami was second with 66 and the Eagles finished in third spot with a total of 84 points. Stetson was fourth with 91 points. 
 
The women's team finished sixth overall and was led by sophomore Karley Piers (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth HS) who finished just outside the top 10 runners in 11^th place with a time of 19:03.6. Freshman Gabrielle Spain (Sioux Falls, S.D./Sioux Falls Washington HS) finished 22^nd (19:40.5) with sophomore Blake Petrick (St. Johns, Fla. /Creekside HS) following closely behind to take the 27^th spot.

FGCU will return to action on Friday, Sept. 16 when the Eagles head to the North Alabama Showcase at the John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Alabama.
 
Men's Team Results:

1. Florida – 27 points
2. Miami – 66 points
3. FGCU – 84 points
4. Stetson – 91 points
5. USF – 92 points
6. FIU – 195 points
7. Bethune-Cookman – 196 points

 
Men's Team Individual FGCU Results:
1. Osman Humeida - 15:32.1
9. Bus Baker – 15:51.00
22. Mathew Speruta – 16:38.7
25. Abel Ramos – 16:44.6
30. Israel Gamez – 16:58.6
39. Bramwell Havi (St. Louis/Mo./Lindenwood) – 17:20.2
41. Ryan Kinney (Cape Coral, Fla. /Ida Baker HS) – 17:29.5
52. Benjamin Hermiston (Sherrill, Iowa/Dubuque Hempstead HS) - 18:37.2 


Women's Team Results:

1. Florida – 37 points
2. UCF – 65 points
3. Miami – 77 points
4. Stetson – 85 points
5. South Florida – 140 points
6. FGCU – 141 points
7. FAU – 148 points
8. FIU  – 245 points
9. Bethune-Cookman  – 284 points

 
Women's Team Individual FGCU Results:
11. Karley Piers - 19:03.6
22. Gabrielle Spain – 19:40.5
27. Blake Petrick – 19:52.5
36. Reilly Ritter (Tabernacle, N.J/ Seneca HS) – 20:12.8
48. Morgan Beaupre (Palatine, Ill. /William Fremd Hs) – 20:41.2
67. Marciel Esquilin (Bonita Springs, Fla. /Estero HS) – 21:55.2
72. Gianna Citarella (Manahawkin/N.J./Southern Regional HS) – 22:25.0
82. Caroline Mackenzie (Fort Myers, Fla. / Fort Myers r HS) – 23:46.9
 
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.