LUMBERTON, NC – The Francis Marion University women's and men's cross country squads placed fourth and sixth respectively at the UNCP Invitational Meet, Saturday morning (Sept. 10) at Luther Britt Park in Lumberton.

Wingate University won the women's 5,000-meter race with seven runners in the top 13 and a team score of 39.  UNC Pembroke was second with 85 points, followed by Augusta State University (111), FMU (142), St. Augustine's College (147), Pfeiffer University (150), St. Andrews Presbyterian College (158), Catawba College (166), Shaw University (181), and Mount Olive College (205).

Freshman Kelly May led the Patriots with a fourth-place finish in a time of 20:08.01, while Codi Knoch was 21st (22:10.12), Laura Vona was 31st (23:39.85), Megan Coy was 35th (24:21.33), and Sara Parry was 64th (32:28.75).  Kelly Chaplin of St. Andrews was the top individual performer with a time of 19:10.87.

St. Andrews captured the men's team title, edging Wingate 36-47.  UNCP (76) was third, followed by St. Augustine's (108), Pfeiffer (118), Francis Marion (169), Shaw (178), and Mount Olive (210).

Junior Patrick Hopewell was the top FMU finisher (25th) as he completed the 7,637-meter race in 28:19.65.  Steven Holmes was 31st in a time of 29:05.26, while Dan Brann was 40th (30:09.07), Ariel Ortiz was 42nd (30:40.01), and Joshua Sears was 48th (31:29.57).  Issrael Jaimes of St. Augustine's placed first in the men's event with a time of 25:34.23.

Both Francis Marion squads will play host to the FMU Invitational Meet on the morning of Sept. 24.