Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational Up Next for Akron

Friday, September 15

Blacksburg, Va.

University of Akron

Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational

Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational Up Next for Akron

September 13 | Cross Country

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VIRGINIA TECH ALUMNI INVITATIONAL MEET INFORMATION | LIVE RESULTS

AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron men's and women's cross country squads continue their fall campaigns this weekend as the Zips travel to Blacksburg, Va., to compete in the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational on Friday, Sept. 15.

The women's 6K race will begin at 6 p.m., while the men's 8K race starts at approximately 6:40 p.m. at the Buford Meredith Cross Country Course on Virginia Tech's campus.

The 15-team field includes: Akron, Bridgewater College, East Tennessee State, Ferrum College, Florida State, Hollins (W), King, Lynchburg College, Morehead State, Ohio, Roanoke College, Sweet Briar College (W), VMI, Washington & Lee (W) and Virginia Tech.

"It was great to start to our season with a big win at home last weekend," Akron head women's cross country coach Bridget Franek commented. "We have a great schedule that will test us more and more each meet and we are ready to step up to the next challenge. The girls have been working hard and have been very consistent and diligent in their training. Virginia Tech will be very strong and we will most likely also see a few of our other MAC competitors so it is going to be fun to see what they can do at the 6K distance."

"We are looking forward to racing with Virginia Tech (ranked 26th in the nation and third in their region) and Florida State (ranked fourth in their region)," said Zips' men's head cross country coach Lee LaBadie. "This meet will give us the opportunity to race ranked teams from other areas of the United States and will be our first real test at 8K this season after a dominating performance at the Tommy Evans Meet last week."

A week ago, freshman Andre Bollam-Godbott (Brunswick, Ohio) and redshirt sophomore Mackenzie Andrews (Toowoomba, Australia), sparked the Zips to dominating performances at the 49th annual Tommy Evans Invitational on Sept. 7, at the Silver Creek Metro Park Cross Country Course.

Making his collegiate debut, Bollam-Godbott led wire-to-wire and crossed the line first in a time of 15:12.6. He led a pack of Zips that placed five runners in the top seven.

Sophomores Nick Stricklen (Lexington, Ohio) and Marc Migliozzi (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and redshirt sophomores Jeremiah Fitzgerald (Mantua, Ohio) and Tevin Brown (Toledo, Ohio) finished second, third, fifth and seventh, respectively, registering times of 15:16.3, 15:16.9, 15:19.2 and 15:23.1.

In the men's dual meet results, Akron bettered Kent State (16-45), Malone (17-40) and Youngstown State (15-48).

In the women's field, Andrews paced the field crossing the line first in 18:00.3.

Redshirt junior Elizabeth Mosier (Austintown, Ohio), sophomore Haley Hess (Curtice, Ohio), freshman Lindsey Scarton (Berea, Ohio) and junior Tarike Osuobeni (Columbus, Ohio) rounded out the Zips' scoring contingent placing fifth, seventh, 14th and 16th, respectively, posting times of 18:25.6, 18:29.4, 18:43.4 and 18:49.2.

In the women's dual meet results, Akron bettered Cleveland State (22-37), Kent State (25-32), Malone (25-30), Robert Morris (15-50) and Youngstown State (16-45).

A year ago, Dan Zupan and Mosier directed the efforts of the University of Akron men's and women's cross country teams at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational, registering the Zips' top finishes in the men's and women's races, respectively.

Akron placed fourth in the nine-team women's field, while the Zips' men's squad finished fifth in the nine-team men's field.

Mosier crossed the line in the women's 6K race in a team-best 22:57.40, a time that was good for 28th place.

Hess, Hannah Pineault (Morgantown, W.Va.) and Vanessa Rivera (Seville, Ohio) followed Mosier across the line in 23:06.90, 23:14.60 and 23:23.50 to finish 30th, 33rd and 38th, respectively. Osuobeni completed Akron's top five registering a 44th-place effort in 23:37.10.

Zupan placed 18th in 25:19.10, while Eric McCabe (Hilliard, Ohio) was next across the line for Akron in 26:12.20 for 41st place. He was followed among the Zips' top five by Samuel Blechman (Bradford Woods, Ohio), Nick Campbell (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) and Marc Migliozzi, who finished in 26:27.20 (52nd), 26:27.20 (52nd) and 26:32.60 (56th), respectively.