VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State men's and women's cross country team couldn't have asked for a better start to the 2024 season, as both teams claimed first place in sixth running of the VSU Border Clash at Freedom Park on a raining evening in Valdosta, Ga. Despite the tough conditions, the Blazers persevered to dominate the competition to finish out on top.
 
For the women, they had the top five finishes as senior Caitlyn Koske claimed first with a time of 20:44.2 in the 5k. Fellow senior Katie LaCroix was not far behind, as she placed second, clocking in at 20:55.4. Newcomers Sarah Simpson, Anna Brown, and Ella Burnett finished third through fifth, as they showed out in their Blazer debut. Senior Kyleigh Rice finished eighth with sophomore Charlotte Carley being the final Blazer to finish as she crossed the finish line in 15^th place. As a team, VSU had an average 5k time of 21:12, which was 1:29 better than the next best team. Dayton State College finished second, with Gulf Coast State College in third. Albany State placed fourth while Florida Gateway College rounded out the top five.
 
For the men, it was fresh faces leading the way, as junior Parker Jackson finished first in the 7.25k with a time of 24:54.2. Freshman Nick Waddell started his collegiate career on a high note, finishing in second with a time of 24:56.2. Graduate Student Elijah Pace was the third and final Blazer on the podium, as he finished just behind Waddell with a time of 24:57.8. Sophomore Caleb Tilford finished eighth with a time of 27:35.9. Returner Austen Sekowski placed tenth as he finished the race with a time of 27:48. Junior Matthew Herndon and sophomore Aaron Munger were the last two Blazers to cross the finish line, as they placed 13^th and 16^th, respectively. FSCJ (Jacksonville) placed second as a team, while Florida Gateway College finished third and ABAC finished fourth.
 
Valdosta State has a quick turnaround, as they hit the road to head to Charlotte, NC to compete in the Queen's City Invite on Friday, September 13.