BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell cross country opened the season Saturday morning as they hosted the Campbell Invitational in Buies Creek. The women's team squared off against the UNCW Seahawks in the meet, while the men's team took on the North Carolina Central Eagles.
In her first collegiate race, Campbell freshman Lize Botha finished the women's race in first place, completing the 4,280 meter course in 17:06. On the men's side, sophomore Lawrence Kipkoech and senior Amon Terer crossed the finish line together to tie for first with a time of 16:16 on the 5K course.
"I thought both squads had solid performances," said head coach Michael Kelly. "I was really pleased to see a couple of our freshmen women do really well, including Lize Botha and Madeline Fitch."
Campbell had five women place in the top ten. Botha led the way for the Camels and was followed closely by Roshae Jackson, who finished fourth with a time of 17:17. Sophomore Ali Bowen and junior Amina Alvarez Barkane notched seventh and eighth-place finishes, respectively, finishing the race just one second apart at 18:17 and 18:18. Freshman Madeline Fitch earned a top-10 finish in her first collegiate race, finishing 10th with a mark of 18:22. Overall, the UNCW women's team took home the win with 25 points.
"No surprises on the guys' side," Kelly said. "Amon and Lawrence looked good, running very controlled and relaxed the whole time. I thought two of our freshmen guys, [Hunter] Gilbert and Billy [Knabe], looked good as well for their season opener."
The Campbell men occupied the entire top-10 in the men's race. Following Terer and Kipkoech were Meshack Kipruto and Jacob Kipserem in third and fourth place, with times of 16:59 and 17:01 in the men's 5K. Freshman Hunter Gilbert and classmate Billy Knabe had a strong showing in their first collegiate race. Gilbert earned a fifth-place finish in 17:02, while Knabe finished sixth with a mark of 17:55. The Camels took home the win with 15 points.
Up next, both teams will take a short trip to Cary, N.C. to participate in the Adidas XC Challenge on Sept. 16 beginning at 5:30 p.m. For the most up-to-date information on Campbell cross country, follow @GoCamelsRun on Twitter.
