Cross Country Opens Season at Charleston Southern

CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Columbia College men's and women's cross country team competed at the season-opening CSU Buccaneer Open at Charleston Southern Friday morning.

The men finished 7th of 9 in the 6K meet while the women did not have enough runners to qualify for a team score, but their top four finished well ahead of three of the 9 teams in the standings.

WOMEN

Leading the Lady Koalas in their 5K was senior Mina Shull placing 37th overall out of 66 runners in a time of 21:41. Her teammates Juliana Gonzalez, a junior, and Avarose Buccino, a freshman then finished 43rd and 44th respectively. Gonzalez ran a time of 22:42 while Buccino came across 17 seconds later in 22:59.

Sophomore Jenyfer Vigueras then finished 50th overall in 24:13. Div. I CSU won the meet along with the individual medalist in 18:04 while fellow D-1 school, College of Charleston was second. Among the non-D-1 schools competing, the Lady Koalas finished 2nd of 5 teams.

MEN

Leading the Koala men were senior Patrick Timmerman as he placed 40th overall in 21:35 in the 3.7 mile 6K race. Senior racewalk national qualifier Dorde Racic then came in second on the Koalas in 51st overall in 22:22 while junior Kristian Sanchez was 58th in 22:54. Sophomore William Bull then came next for CC placing 61st in 23:34 while fellow sophomore Harold Nolan finished up the scoring for the Koalas placing 63rd overall out of 77 in 23:49.

Winning the men's team race again was host CSU followed by Coastal Carolina, SCAD Savannah, C of C, and the Citadel. Johnson & Wales then edged out the Koalas for 6th by just a few points while Methodist and SC State brought up the rear.

The Koala XC runners return to the course next Friday when they head to USC-Upstate in Spartanburg to compete in the Eye Opener on Friday evening beginning at 5:45 pm.