BOONE, N.C. - The App State men's and women's cross country teams opened the 2024 campaign with the Covered Bridge Open at the Don Kennedy Trails on Friday. The men's team clinched first with 18 points and the women secured second in the team standings with 51 points.
"We had positive results for the guys today," said men's distance coach
Brad Herbster. "Trying out different race tactics and keeping the gap closed were all good things. Junior
Ethan Lipham and redshirt senior
Calbert Guest work together in the middle. Redshirt junior
Chase Burrell being back is good and the freshmen
Aaron Kidd,
Rowan Gwin, and
Thomas Wlazlowski all had good showings."
Lipham set pace for the Mountaineers in the men's 6K, clocking a time of 18:14.72 to place first overall. Guest and Burrell followed close behind, finishing second (18:19.59) and third (18:35.58), respectively. In his collegiate debut, Kidd rounded out the top five with a time of 18:45.50. Gwin placed eighth overall with a time of 18:53.30 and Wlazlowski took 13th with a time of 19:04.09.
"Our team excelled today in their preparation, mindset, and how they paced themselves throughout the race," said women's distance coach
Annie Richards. "They have big goals this season and have maintained a heavy workload throughout the last several weeks to build a foundation of strength to support these goals. Several women ran big workouts this weekend. They will join the pack and open their seasons at the Firetower Project in two weeks.
In the women's 5K race senior
Emma Russum was the first Mountaineer to cross the finish line, stopping the clock at 17:59.51 to place fifth overall. In her debut race, freshman
Breanna Budzinski took eighth with a time of 18:13.24, while sophomore
Rhys Ammon finished ninth with a time of 18:13.65. Seniors
Lana Farris and
Catherine Breault also finished among the top-20 with times of 18:24.57 and 18:33.19, respectively.
UP NEXT
The Mountaineers will return to the Don Kennedy Trails at State Farm on Sept. 13 for the Firetower Project Run. The men's 8K is slated for 6 p.m. with the women's 6K to follow at 6:40 p.m.
