C-N Has Big Day At Georgia Tech Invitational
Carson-Newman has a big day at the Georgia Tech Invitational, setting multiple PRs on the men's and women's squads
FAIRBURN, Ga. – Carson-Newman cross country wrapped up competition at the Georgia Tech Invitational on Friday morning at Bouckaert Farm, marking the Eagles' fifth straight appearance at the meet. The women's team earned a fourth-place finish, while the men placed ninth overall.
Coming off a challenging run at last weekend's SAC Preview, the Eagles took advantage of the relatively flat course in Fairburn to reset and post strong results against a competitive field that included Division I programs and South Atlantic Conference opponents.
The familiar course once again provided valuable experience for Carson-Newman as the team continues building toward the SAC Championships later this fall.
"I am very pleased with how our team showed up and competed today," said head coach Brent Borden. "For many of our returners, this course has been a site of success. It was no different today, as we showed up strong against Division I and II teams, leading to several personal bests."
The women's squad put together an impressive performance, finishing fourth overall and beating out schools such as Georgia State and Wofford in the 6k.
"For the women, nearly everyone on the team ran a PR for the 6k distance," Borden said. "Jenna Pittman and Keirieonna Wilson both ran stellar races. Keirieonna split through the 5k mark (18:25) of the 6k, which was also a 40-second improvement from her fastest 5k. I'm very proud of how she has progressed this season. We also saw solid performances from Peyton [Couch], Emma [Roberts], and Maggie [Hope]. Today was a huge step for Maggie, as she's overcome a lot of setbacks this year to get back to where she is."
Junior runner Jenna Pittman led the Eagles with a 16th-place finish in 21:58.27, followed closely by Wilson in 18th at 22:02.79.
On the men's side, the Eagles placed ninth overall, led by senior Bryson Burkett, who crossed the line in 59th place with a time of 27:44.90. Andrew Thompson followed in 64th at 28:09.30.
"Andrew Thompson, Jase McCloskey, Joshua Park, and Andrew Zona each saw improvement," Borden noted. "I'm proud of the way all the guys raced today. They've continued to improve week after week."
The Eagles return to action for the SAC Championship meet on Saturday, Oct. 25, at Kinser Park Golf Course in Greeneville, Tenn. The race is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m.
"This weekend gives us confidence heading into conference and regionals later in the season," Borden said. "October is when you see the training start to pay off and translate into quicker times on the course. We're moving in the right direction, and I'm confident our crew will peak at conference and regionals this season."
Stay connected with Carson-Newman cross country by following @CN_Eagles on X and Instagram, or by liking Carson-Newman Athletics on Facebook. For more information and updates, visit cneagles.com.
