FORT MYERS, Fla. – Karley Piers ran a new program record time and Alise Petrova was named Atlantic Sun Conference Freshman of the Year to highlight Florida Gulf Coast University women's cross country team's performance at the ASUN Championships in Jacksonville.

FGCU was fifth as a team with 168 points improving from last season's 11th place finish. Piers was named to the Second Team All-ASUN and Petrova etched her named in the Third Team All-ASUN. Addison Torres joined Petrova on the All-Freshman Team.

"We are very proud of the women's team performance today. All their hard work paid off. They competed very very well!," said head coach Argeo Cruz. "We are very proud of Karley for breaking the school record while balancing nursing school. Alise took care of business as usual to earn freshmen of the year, and Addi stepped up significantly for the team."

Piers crossed the line in 10th place with a new FGCU 5K record and personal-best time of 17:17.2. She soared over Kelly Perzanowski's first-place championship time of 17:21.20 in 2013.

The Maine native's individual placing is the fourth best in program history. Carley Lutzow took seventh in 2017 and Lauren Tarovisky ran eighth finish in 2015.

Petrova ran 17:42.9 and shaved almost 21 seconds of her own personal best time and previous FGCU freshman record of 18:03.96. She finished 21^st out of 96 runners and is Green & Blue's first ever Freshman of the Year award winner.

Torres also produced a lifetime best of 18:06.8 and crossed the line in 31st. Gabrielle Spain finished 60th in a time of 19:09.6 and Haley Bergan stopped the clock at 19:18.4 finishing 64th. Julia Neis was up next for Green & Blue in 83rd with a time of 20:17.7 and Kaitly Frost rounded out the pack for the Eagles in 86th place and a 20:28 showing.

The Eagles will return to action Nov. 15 at the NCAA South Regionals hosted by  Florida State University in Tallahassee , Florida.
 
First Team All-ASUN
1. Kiara Smeltz, Lipscomb (16:27.6) - Runner of the Year
2. Mackenzie Barnett, Lipscomb (16:27.1)
3. Colbi Borland, Lipscomb (16:36.0)
4. Harley Kletz, Lipscomb  (16:44.2)
5. Smilla Kolbe, North Florida (16:47.6)
6. Linda Perez, Lipscomb (16:49.0)
7. Ellie Brewer, Lipscomb (16:57.6)

Second Team All-ASUN
8. Carmen Krawczynski, Lipscomb (17:02.2)
9. Karin Gosek, EKU (17:03.3)
10. Karley Piers, FGCU (17:17.2)
11. Madeline Hill, Central Arkansas (17:21.7)
12. Abigail Horevay, Lipscomb (17:24.0)
13. Isa Leen, North Florida (17:26.5)
14. Ali Nachtigal, Central Arkansas (17:31.9)

Third Team All-ASUN
15. Leonie Saurer, Lipscomb (17:32.0)
16. Ella Chandler, North Florida (17:33.0)
17. Ana Markovina, North Florida (17:35.0)
18. Kayleigh Wagnon, Central Arkansas (17:36.5)
19. Sarah Watts, Queens (17:41.4)
20. Sierra Oesterling, Bellarmine (17:42.5)
21. Alise Petrova, FGCU (17:42.9)

All-Freshman Team
Alise Petrova, FGCU (17:42.9) - Freshman of the Year
Clara Barbosa, EKU (17:57.7)
Addison Torres, FGCU (18:06.8)
Cohen Kooker, North Florida (18:11.6)
Simone Mouras, Queens (18:21.7)
Coach of the Year
Nick Polk, Lipscomb

Team Scores
1. Lipscomb, 16
2. North Florida, 69
3. Central Arkansas, 83
4. EKU, 141
5. FGCU, 168
6. Bellarmine, 195
7. North Alabama, 201
8. Queens, 223
9. Jacksonville, 229
10. Austin Peay, 233
11. Stetson, 261
12. West Georgia, 294