LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Tennessee Tech women's cross country team took third place among 42 teams while the Golden Eagle men's team claimed fourth among 38 squads in the Blue Division of the Louisville Fall Invitational Saturday.
Tech got one career-best time in the women's 5K race and three from the men's team during the 8K race.
West Virginia Wesleyan claimed the team title in the women's race, which featured 339 individual runners from 42 schools. Shorter was second and the Golden Eagles, led by junior Rebecca Cline, placed third. Buffalo State and Taylor rounded out the Top 5.
Cline covered the course at the E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park in 20:08.70 to place 33rd overall. Senior Beth Miller, who led Tech in the first two meets of the season, was next across the tape in the time of 20:18.37 for a 37th place showing.
A cluster of four Tech runners came to the finish line with 14 seconds of each other. Junior Meghan O'Donoghue placed 66th in the time of 20:47.96, followed closely by freshman Landry Loving (20:54.81) in 73rd place, junior Peri Winborne (20:58.87) in 75th and junior Amelia McCoy (21:01.23) in 79th place.
Kathryn Forbes completed Tech's lineup, posting a career-best time of 21:16.70 to finish 98th.
In the men's race, Spartanburg Methodist took home the crown, with Hope College second, Tennessee Wesleyan third and the Golden Eagles fourth. Southern Indiana rounded out the Top 5.
Senior Mike Mahan was Tech's top finisher, placing 28th overall with a career-best time of 27:12.44. He edged out teammate Sterling Smith, a sophomore who finished one spot back in 27:13.75.
Junior Matthew Bishop was third for the Golden Eagles, placing 45th in the time of 27:36.12. Senior Adam McLeod was 49th in 27:39.13, with senior Daniel Francis posting a career-best time of 28:16.93 to place 86th.
Also in Tech's lineup, senior Kolbe Andrzejewski was 139th with a career-best 29:27.89, and sophomore Charlie Jordan placed 180th in the time of 30:16.67.
The Golden Eagles will host the TTU Invitational on Friday, beginning at 3 p.m., at Southern Hills Golf Course.