TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Behind six personal record times and the best team average for both teams this season, the Valdosta State men's and women's cross country teams completed the FSU Invitational in Tallahassee, Fla. at Apalachee Regional Park Friday morning. The men's team took 16th overall out of 30 teams across NAIA, NCAA DII and DI schools, while the women's team took 20th overall.
For the women, LSU took home first place with a team time of 1:27:49, while Miami took home second with a time of 1:28:45.50. Tampa came in third overall, while Florida State and Palm Beach Atlantic rounded out the top five. Valdosta State ended the race with a team time of 1:43:25.0, an average of 20:41.00 and 615 points, good for 20th overall.
Sophomore Caitlyn Koske finished as the top Blazer finisher, 61st overall out of 280 finishers, with a PR time of 18:49 while junior Kyleigh Rice was the second Blazer finisher with a PR time of 19:50.4. Following Rice was junior Katie LaCroix with a PR time of 19:54.7. Junior Jaycie Anderson, the Guardian Bank Runner of the Race, finished with a PR time of 21:59.4 while freshman Emily Phillips rounded out the Blazer finishers with a time of 22:50.6. Graduate assistant Angie Cipriani finished 10th overall as an unattached runner with a time of 17:42.1, good for a personal record.
On the men's side, The Master's took home first place with a team time of 2:03:25.40 and Florida State finished second with a time of 2:04:17.20. Embry-Riddle took third overall while Indiana Wesleyan and LSU rounded out the top five. VSU finished the race with a team time of 2:11:16.70, an average time of 26:15.34 and 415 points.
Senior Brishen House was the top Blazer finisher, 32nd overall out of 299 finishers, with a time of 25:10.0. Junior Logan Kraus followed suit, 48th overall with a PR time of 25:31.1 and junior Adam Mastrobuono finished with a time of 26:27.1. Following Mastrobuono was junior Charlie Eaton with a time of 27:00.4, junior Dalton Pender with a time of 27:08.1 and freshman River Livingston with a time of 27:20.2. Sophomore Alec Munger, the Guardian Bank Runner of the Race, and freshman Gavin Sadowski finished back-to-back with times of 27:20.7 and 27:20.8 (PR), respectively. Munger surpassed 41 runners in the second half of the race for 160thoverall. Junior Braedon Bensley finished with a time of 28:30.4 and sophomore Austen Sekowski finished with a time of 29:07.5. Freshman Matthew Herndon rounded out the Blazer finishers with a time of 29:58.5.
The Blazers continue the 2022 race season with the UAB XC Invitational on Oct. 14 in Montevallo, Ala. The women's race is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. while the men's side is set to begin at 9:40 a.m.
For all updates on Blazer cross country, visit vstateblazers.com or follow Valdosta State Athletics on social media.
Men's 8K Individual Results
32. Brishen House – 25:10.0
48. Logan Kraus – 25:31.1 (PR)
108. Adam Mastrobuono – 26:27.1
141. Charlie Eaton – 27:00.4
146. Dalton Pender – 27:08.1
158. River Livingston – 27:20.2
160. Alec Munger – 27.20.7
161. Gavin Sadowski – 27:20.8 (PR)
229. Braedon Bensley – 28:30.4
255. Austen Sekowski – 29:07.5
275. Matthew Herndon – 29:58.5
Women's 5k Individual Results
61. Caitlyn Koske – 18:49.9 (PR)
133. Kyleigh Rice – 19:50.4 (PR)
140. Katie LaCroix – 19:54.7 (PR)
224. Jaycie Anderson – 21:59.4 (PR)
242. Emily Phillips – 22:50.6
