By Rob Schabert, TTU Sports Information Director

View the complete WCU Invitational results (PDF)

CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- John Greene was in the Tennessee Tech lineup Friday for the first time in two years, and the senior from Friendsville, Tenn., was exactly where he expected to be -- out front for the Golden Eagle cross country team.

With Greene placing 29th overall as Tech's top finisher, the Golden Eagles placed sixth at the Western Carolina Invitational on a hot and muggy evening in shadows of the Smoky Mountains.

Tech was in the middle of the pack of the 11-team field that featured a first-place performance by the Florida Gators. With four of the top six finishers in the field of 104 runners, Florida won easily with 28 team points.

High Point, which had four of the top 20 finishers, placed second with 43 points, edging ahead of third place Furman with 54 points. Host Western Carolina (121) was fourth, followed by UNC Asheville (154), Tennessee Tech (177), Winthrop (204), North Carolina A&T (258), Gardner-Webb (282), Wofford (287) and Warren Wilson College (304).

Greene, who sat out the 2012 season as a redshirt, returned to action by running the 5K route on the WCU campus in 16:11.61. Sterling Smith, a junior from Knoxville, was next across the line for coach Tony Cox's team, placing 36th overall in 16:22.09.

Newcomer Brennan Huber, a freshman from Greenbrier, Tenn., was 43rd in his Golden Eagle debut, clocking the course in 16:30.49. Two other freshmen, Daniel Williamson from Union City and Jordan Roth from Grey, Tenn., were next for Tech. Williamson placed 54th in 16:48.02, while Roth was 58th in 16:53.97.

Senior Matt Bishop ran close to Greene for half of the race but couldn't maintain his pace in the sticky heat, and wound up 61st overall in 16:58.92. Tech's final finisher was Sam Lariviere, a freshman from Oak Ridge, placing 66th in 17:14.53.

The Golden Eagles will have next weekend off before returning to action on Saturday, Sept. 14, at the Vanderbilt Invitational.

Tennessee Tech finsihes at the WCU Invitational:

29 Greene, John SR Tennessee Tech 5:12.8 16:11.61
36 Smith, Sterling JR Tennessee Tech 5:16.1 16:22.09
43 Huber, Brennan FR Tennessee Tech 5:18.8 16:30.49
54 Williamson, Daniel FR Tennessee Tech 5:24.5 16:48.02
58 Roth, Jordan FR Tennessee Tech 5:26.4 16:53.97
61 Bishop, Matt SR Tennessee Tech 5:28.0 16:58.92
66 Lariviere, Sam FR Tennessee Tech 5:32.9 17:14.16