CHARLOTTE, NC -- The UVA Wise men's and women's cross country teams competed in the Blue Race at the Royals Challenge, hosted by Queens University at McAlpine Creek Park. The women competed in the 5K, finishing seventh out of 17 teams, while the men placed fourth out of 18 teams in the 8K. Both squads were led by strong individual performances and competitive depth as the Cavaliers continued their fall campaign.

Women's Recap
Senior Alexsis Porter led the Cavaliers with an outstanding fourth-place finish in the women's 5K, crossing the line in 18:57.7 to pace UVA Wise against a field of 17 teams.

Freshman Amelia Lewis was the second Cavalier finisher, placing 28th in 19:53.4. Fellow freshman Ella Rasnake followed in 60th place with a time of 20:54.1, while Sadie Brewer finished 66th in 21:05.8 to provide another scoring performance for the Cavaliers.

Junior Shay Cannon rounded out the team's top five, finishing 80th in 21:39.4. Freshman Kiley Adair also competed for UVA Wise, completing the course in 31:08.3.

Men's Recap
The UVA Wise men turned in a strong team performance, earning fourth place among 18 teams in the Blue Race 8K.

Sophomore Dylan Colander paced the Cavaliers with a 15th-place finish in 26:26.8. Sophomore Patton Shortt followed closely in 21st place, clocking 26:34.4, while freshman Landon Spain finished 24th in 26:39.2. The close grouping among the top three runners gave UVA Wise a strong foundation for its team result.

Senior Chad Douglas finished 42nd in 27:07.5, followed by sophomore Caleb Ghammashi in 44th with a time of 27:11.9. Freshman Evan Riley placed 62nd in 27:55.2, and freshman Josh Sorrells completed the Cavaliers' lineup in 107th place in 29:14.1.

Up Next
The Highland Cavaliers will return to action Friday, October 24, at the UAH Charger Invitational in Huntsville, Alabama. Both teams will look to build on their performances at the Royals Challenge as the regular season continues.