CHARLOTTE, NC. – The Valdosta State cross country team took the trip to Charlotte, NC on Friday evening, as they ran in the Queen's City Invite hosted by Queens University of Charlotte. Both the women and men had two runners place top 50, as the women placed eighth and the men placed seventh as a team. Division III Emory took home the team victory for both sides, as they ran away from the competition.
 
On the women's side, the team placed eighth out of 12 teams with 196 points, as they finished five points behind USC Aiken for seventh. Division III Emory finished first in the event, as the seventh ranked eagles had four runners place in the top ten. Senior Katie LaCroix led the way as she finished 33^rd overall with a time of 19:39.5 in the 5k, as she was the only Blazer to finish in under 20 minutes. Fellow senior Caitlyn Koske placed 41^st with a time of 20:05.9. Sophomore Sarah Simpson was the third Blazer to finish, as the recent transfer placed 54^th with a time of 20:56.24. Anna Brown and Kyleigh Rice were right on her tail, as the duo finished 57^th and 58^th with times of 21:06.18 and 21:08.5. Charlotte Carley placed 65^th with a time of 21:45.63 with freshman Ella Burnett just behind her in 69^th as she clocked a 21:59.33.
 
For the men, they placed seventh as a team with 195 points. It was Nick Waddell leading the charge, as the true freshman finished 31^st with a time of 26:30.49 in the 8k, clocking a new PR early in his collegiate career. Junior Parker Jackson was the next Blazer to cross the finish line, as the Valdosta native finished 43^rd with a time of 26:57.98. Graduate student Elijah Pace was the third finisher for VSU, as he clocked a time of 27:30.37. Graduate student Austen Sekowski and sophomore Caleb Tilford finished 73^rd and 75^th, as the duo finished in 28:15.98 and 28:18.12, respectively. Tilford's time is a new PR for the recent transfer from Florida Gateway College. Emory also took home first for the men, as they took down the number one ranked Division II cross country team in Wingate.
 
Valdosta State will take to the trails again on Friday, September 27 in Tallahassee, Florida at Apalachee Park for the Florida State Pre-Regional.