Waterford, Conn. – The University of Lynchburg men's and women's cross country teams competed in their final weekend of the season, as athletes raced at the Connecticut College Invitational and the Roanoke South Region Showdown.

Connecticut College Invitational (Waterford, Conn.)

The Lynchburg men's team placed ninth out of 26 teams with 246 points in the Men's 8,000m Blue Championship Race at the Connecticut College Invitational, boasting a 41-second spread across the top-five finishers. 

Lynchburg attacked the predominantly gentle course at Harkness Memorial State Park and sat as high as fourth at the race's 2.6 kilometer mark. Ty Blair led the way for the Hornets with a 24:37.5 performance for 17th place, which marked a season-best time. Blair's display was 13 seconds shy of his personal best from his time at Eastern Kentucky.

Aidan Riggle clocked a 24:52.5 personal best for 41st place to shave five seconds off his previous PR. Cameron Sidebotham registered 25:03.3 for a 22-second PR to cross the line in 57th.

Alex Paciello recorded 25:13.6 for 69th place, and to close the scoring, James Mulcahy solidified a 25:17.8 performance for 74th to improve his personal best by over a minute. The freshman's previous PR of 26:32.2 came two weeks ago at the Running of the Cows in Northfield, Minn.

The Hornets toppled a trio of ranked opponents, including No. 18 Amherst, No. 24 Lebanon Valley and No. 25 Middlebury. Four of Lynchburg's seven runners secured personal bests.

Roanoke South Region Showdown (Salem, Va.)

Against local competition at Green Hill Park, the Lynchburg women's team placed third out of 12 teams with 82 points. Remaining athletes from the Lynchburg men's team combined to post a sixth-place performance out of 15 teams in the final standings for 143 points.

Adelynn Carpenter clocked a 22:41.5 season best for seventh place in the women's 6,000m, while freshman Savannah Wood trailed closely behind for 10th place with a 23:01.6 personal best. The duo was separated by one second at the halfway point, and Carpenter made up two positions down the stretch.

Hannah Edwards submitted a 23:56.0 performance for 31st, while Ella Warren placed 33rd with a 23:57.4 personal best. Winter Tietjen closed the scoring with a 23:58.4 display for 34th, as four Hornets finished within five consecutive positions.

Nine of the 10 Hornets registered season-best or personal-best marks in the team's third-place finish.

For the men's team, Rami Dib crossed the line in 26:06.6 for a 19th-place finish. Dib tied his personal best from the 2025 South Region Showdown, which was held at the same location. Saturday's race marked his first registered performance on the cross country course since last season.

Walker Mason clocked 26:13.6 for 24th place to improve over a minute off his previous PR of 27:24.0. Logan Amis finished with a 26:20.5 result for 31st and a 20-second personal best, while Caleb Painter crossed the line in a 26:25.3 personal best.

To close the scoring, Ryan Warner finished with a 26:31.2 performance for 36th place. Saturday marked Warner's first time performing under the 27-minute mark.

Lynchburg will set its sights on the postseason as the men's and women's teams prepare to compete at the 2026 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Oct. 31 at Kernstown Battlefield in Winchester, Va.

For final results from the Connecticut College Invitational, click here.

For final results from the Roanoke South Region Showdown, click here.

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--LYN--